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THE    WIZARD     OF    THE    SEA. 
A  ROMANCE. 

BY    THE   AUTHOR    OF 

«  THE  SOUTHWEST,"  "  LAFITTE,"  "  BURTON,"  &c. 


"  There's  many  a  one  who  oft  has  heard 

The  name  of  Robert  Kyd, 
Who  cannot  tell,  perhaps,  a  word 
Of  him,  or  what  he  did. 

"  So,  though  I  never  saw  the  man, 

And  lived  not  in  his  day, 
I'll  tell  you  how  his  guilt  began  — 
To  what  it  led  the  way." 

H.  F.  GOULD. 


IN     TWO     VOLUMES. 

VOL.    I. 


NEW-YORK: 

HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  82  CLIFF-STREET. 

1839. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1838, 

By  HARPER  &  BROTHERS, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Southern  District  of  New-York. 


PS 


.JL 

/ 


THE    AUTHOR    OF    THE 

"WINTER    IN    THE    WEST," 
CHARLES   FENNO   HOFFMAN,   ESQ., 

THESE    VOLUMES    ARE, 
WITH      SENTIMENTS      OF      ESTEEM, 

Hespectfullg  Enscvtfceu. 


PRE  FA  C  E. 


THE  following  dramatic  romance  consists  of  two 
acts,  with  an  interval  of  five  years  between  them. 
The  time  and  action  of  the  first  part,  the  scene  of 
•which  is  placed  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  are  com 
prised  in  something  less  than  three  days ;  that  of 
the  second,  the  scenes  of  which  are  laid  in  New- 
York  Bay  and  on  its  adjacent  shores,  embraces  a 
somewhat  longer  space  of  time,  the  two  comprising 
the  most  prominent  crises  of  the  hero's  life — one 
giving  the  colouring  to  the  whole  of  his  subsequent 
career,  which  in  the  other  is  brought  to  its  close. 

Natchez,  Miss.,  Jan.,  1839. 


B  O  O  K    I 

THE  CAUSE. 


"  A  lady  should  not  scorn 
One  soul  that  loves  her,  howe'er  lowly  it  be." 

BARRY  CORNWALL 

"  'Twere  idle  to  remember  now, 

Had  I  the  heart,  my  thwarted  schemes. 

I  bear  beneath  this  alter'd  brow 
The  ashes  of  a  thousand  dreams — 

Some  wrought  of  wild  Ambition's  fingers, 
Some  colour'd  of  Love's  pencil  well — 

******** 

Ambition  has  but  foil'd  my  grasp, 
And  Love  has  perish'd  in  my  clasp." 

Melanie. 


CAPTAIN    KYD; 

OR, 

THE   WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA. 


BOOK   I. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"  Oh,  bold  Robin  Hood 

Was  a  forester  good 
As  ever  drew  bow  in  the  merry  green  wood  , 

And  what  eye  hath  e'er  seen 

Such  a  sweet  maiden  queen 
As  Marian  the  pride  of  the  forester's  green." 

ON  a  rocky  headland  that  stretches  boldly  out 
into  the  bosom  of  one  of  the  lakelike  bays  that  in 
dent  the  southern  shore  of  Ireland,  stands  a  pictu 
resque  ruin,  half  hidden  to  the  eye  of  the  voyager 
amid  a  group  of  old  trees.  With  its  solitary  square 
tower,  and  warlike  battlements  jagged  and  stern  in 
their  desolation,  it  still  wears  an  air  of  imposing 
grandeur,  that  conveys  some  idea  of  its  ancient 
baronial  state.  It  is  known  by  the  name  of  "  old 
Castle  Cor ;"  and  in  its  palmy  days  was  the  summer 
abode  of  the  last  Earl  of  Bellamont. 

On  a  bright  morning  in  the  merry  month  of  May, 
in  the  year  sixteen  hundred  and  ninety-four,  its  now 
silent  halls  rung  with  the  joyous  voices  and  noisy 
sports  of  a  score  of  gallant  youths  and  noble  maid 
ens,  gathered  there,  from  many  a  lordly  roof  both 


10  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

far  and  near,  to  celebrate  a  rural  fete  in  honour  of 
the  sixteenth  birthday  of  the  only  child  of  this  an 
cient  house,  the  beautiful  Kate  Bellamont,  better 
known  throughout  the  barony  as  "  wild  Kate  of 
Castle  Cor."  In  the  pastimes  of  the  day,  archery, 
then  much  practised  by  ladies  of  gentle  blood,  was 
to  hold  a  conspicuous  place,  and  a  silver  arrow  was 
to  be  awarded  to  the  victor  by  the  hands  of  Lady 
Bellamont  herself.  As  the  hour  of  noon  approach 
ed,  the  earl's  chief  forester,  Cormac  Dermot,  his 
gray  locks  covered  with  a  red  cloth  bonnet,  in 
which  was  fastened  an  eagle's  plume,  and  his  goodly 
person  arrayed  in  a  holyday  suit  of  green  and  gold, 
made  his  appearance  on  the  lawn  by  the  west  side 
of  the  castle,  and  wound  his  horn,  loud  and  long, 
as  the  signal  that  the  "  gentle  sporte  of  archerie" 
was  now  about  to  begin. 

The  place  chosen  for  the  trial  of  skill  was  an 
ample  lawn  of  the  softest  and  greenest  verdure, 
lying  between  the  wall  of  the  castle  and  the  verge 
of  the  cliff.  A  few  ancient  oaks  grew  here  and 
there  upon  it ;  and  towards  the  south  it  was  open 
to  the  land-locked  bay  and  far-distant  sea,  which, 
wide  as  the  vision  extended,  seemed  to  belt  the 
horizon  like  a  shining  band  of  silver.  At  each 
extremity  of  the  field,  one  hundred  yards  apart, 
was  pitched  upon  the  sward  a  gorgeous  pavilion, 
one  of  blue,  the  other  of  orange-coloured  silk  :  the 
hangings  of  the  former  were  fringed  with  silver; 
and  from  the  festooned  curtains  of  the  latter  pended 
tassels  of  silk  and  gold.  In  these  were  laid  tables 
spread  with  cloths  of  crimson  damask,  and  covered 
with  every  luxury  that  could  tempt  the  palate 
or  gratify  the  eye.  From  the  summit  of  one  of 
the  pavilions  fluttered  a  crimson  banneret,  display 
ing  the  arms  of  Bellamont,  its  boar's-head  crest 
pierced  through  with  an  arrow,  emblematical  of  the 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  11 

occasion ;  and  from  the  top  of  the  other  waved  a 
white  banner,  in  the  centre  of  which,  according  to 
the  rules  of  heraldry,  a  bow,  quiver,  target  and 
other  signs  of  archery  were  tastefully  emblazoned. 

Twenty-five  yards  in  front  of  each  pavilion,  two 
targets  were  placed,  fifty  yards  apart,  so  that,  after 
sending  all  their  arrows  at  one,  the  archers  might 
walk  up  to  it  and  gather  them,  and,  taking  their 
stand  by  it,  shoot  back  to  the  other ;  thus  alternately 
reversing  the  direction  of  their  shots,  and  adding 
healthful  exercise  to  their  graceful  pastime.  The 
targets  were  both  very  beautiful,  and  gay  with 
colours  ;  being  round  wooden  shields  half  an  inch 
in  thickness  and  three  feet  in  diameter,  with  four 
circles  painted  on  the  faces :  the  outer  white,  with 
a  green  border ;  the  next  black ;  the  next  within 
it  orange ;  and  the  inner  circle  red,  encompassing 
a  gold  centre.  They  were  elevated,  at  a  slight 
angle,  twenty  inches  from  the  ground,  on  a  light 
frame  resembling  a  painter's  easel. 

Midway  between  the  targets,  but  safely  placed 
several  paces  back  from  the  erratic  path  of  the 
arrows,  was  erected  beneath  an  ancient  linden-tree 
a  sylvan  throne,  surmounted  by  a  canopy  of  silk, 
elaborately  worked  with  the  needle  to  represent 
Diana,  with  her  nymphs  and  hounds,  pursuing  a 
herd  of  deer  with  flights  of  arrows.  This  was  the 
seat  of  the  umpire  of  the  sports — Katrine,  the 
lovely  Countess  of  Bellamont.  Altogether,  it  was 
an  imposing  and  gorgeous  scene  ;  and,  with  its  stern 
castle  rising  boldly  from  the  verdant  lawn  topped 
with  battlements  and  towers ;  with  its  boundary 
on  the  north  side,  of  green,  dark  old  woods,  and  the 
calm,  deep  bay  beneath,  with  a  yacht  sleeping  on  its 
bosom ;  with  its  extended  prospect  of  the  illim 
itable  sea  for-ever  breathing  with  a  mysterious  life, 
the  field  of  archery  at  Castle  Cor,  for  ihe  natural 


12  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

beauty  of  the  spot  and  the  taste  displayed  in  its 
adornment,  has  doubtless  had  no  parallel  in  the 
annals  of  archery. 

Scarcely  had  the  echoes  of  old  Cormac's  horn 
died  away  in  the  forest,  startling  many  a  stately 
stag  to  flight,  when  the  castle  poured  forth  its  gay 
throng  of  archers  towards  the  lists.  In  their  midst 
was  the  Countess  of  Bellamont,  escorted  by  a  body 
guard  of  young  archeresses.  She  was  then  in  the 
prime  and  beauty  of  ripe  womanhood :  at  that 
delightful  age  when  the  wife  and  mother,  all  the 
charms  of  mind  and  person  fully  developed  and  re 
fined  by  taste  and  elegant  culture,  fascinates  by  a 
thousand  nameless  graces,  and  captivates  and  en 
slaves  even  the  youthful  crowd  that  sigh  at  the  feet 
of  her  lovely  daughter  of  seventeen — the  age  that 
leaves  one  in  doubt  whether  beautiful  women  ar 
rive  at  the  zenith  of  their  beauty  and  power  under 
five-and-thirty. 

This  was  the  age  of  Katrine  of  Bellamont ;  and 
though  at  eighteen  (when  she  became  a  bride)  the 
loveliest  of  all  Irish  maidens  either  of  gentle  or 
lowly  birth,  yet  now,  as  the  Countess  of  Bella 
mont,  far-famed  for  her  rare  and  stately  beauty. 
She  was  arrayed  in  a  simple  white  robe ;  and  a 
laced  jacket  of  royal-purple  velvet  closely  fitted 
her  magnificent  bust.  When  she  entered  the  field 
she  was  conducted  by  her  juvenile  escort  to  the 
throne,  on  which  she  seated  herself,  and  with  a  play 
fully  assumed  queenly  dignity  that  became  her 
highborn  air.  A  coronet  of  pearls  graced  her  brow ; 
and  her  symmetrical  hand,  that  rivalled  pearls  in 
its  soft  transparency,  gracefully  held,  like  a  sceptre, 
the  miniature  arrow  which  was  to  be  the  prize  for 
excelling  in  archery.  Her  deep  blue  eyes,  as  she 
looked  around,  reflected,  in  a  thousand  smiling 
beams,  the  joy  that  danced  on  each  youthful  face, 


THE   WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA*  13 

and  the  sunny  light  of  her  own  countenance  com 
municated  sunshine  of  the  heart  wherever  it  fell. 

On  each  side  of  the  throne  stood  a  wellborn  youth 
habited  as  a  page,  and  behind  her  were  stationed 
two  beautiful  young  girls  attired  as  sylphides.  On 
her  right  hand,  a  few  feet  in  the  rear,  leaning  on  a 
yew  bow  six  feet  in  length,  stood  Cormac  Dermot, 
his  stag's  horn,  richly  inlaid  and  curiously  carved 
with  woodland  devices,  slung  beneath  his  left  shoul 
der,  with  the  mouthpiece  brought  round  in  front 
ready  for  use.  A  little  farther  beyond,  and  nearer 
the  castle-wall,  was  assembled  a  group  of  lower  de 
gree,  consisting  of  under-foresters,  retainers  of  the 
household,  and  neighbouring  peasants ;  while  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  lawn  might  be  seen,  relieved 
against  the  sky,  the  forms  of  two  or  three  fisher 
men,  whom  curiosity  had  led  to  climb  the  dizzy 
precipice  from  the  beach — far  along  the  white  line 
of  which  were  visible  their  scattered  huts,  looking 
like  black  specks  upon  the  sand. 

All  was  now  animation  with  the  preparations 
for  the  lists.  From  bundles  of  bows  thrown  by 
Dermot  on  the  ground  before  each  pavilion,  the 
youths  began  busily  to  select  weapons  for  the 
fair  archers,  who  were  themselves  earnestly  en 
gaged  in  choosing  arrows  from  quivers  that  were 
hung  on  the  front  of  the  tent ;  fastening  braces  of 
thick  fawn's  leather  on  their  left  or  bow  arm  just 
above  the  wrist  to  preserve  it  from  injury  by  the 
rebound  of  the  bow-string;  and  drawing  on  the 
right  hand,  from  parcels  handed  them  by  pages, 
shooting-gloves,  with  three  finger-stalls,  fitted  with 
a  strap  and  button  to  fasten  at  the  wrist,  to  pro 
tect  their  fingers  in  drawing  the  arrow.  Besides 
these  appendages  of  archery,  each  archeress  wore 
a  belt  buckled  about  the  waist,  to  which  pended  a 
tassel  of  the  softest  floss  of  Brussels,  to  wipe  away 

VOL.!,— B 


14  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

the  soil  that  adhered  to  the  arrows  when  drawn 
from  the  ground  ;  and  also  an  ivory  box  with  a  metal 
lid,  containing  a  perfumed  paste  for  anointing  the 
finger-stalls  of  the  shooting-gloves  and  the  brace 
on  the  arm,  that  the  bow-string  might  the  more 
easily  quit  the  fingers  and  pass  over  the  guarded 
wrist.  A  small  pouch,  either  of  tortoise-shell  or 
of  silver,  in  shape  and  dimensions  like  a  sportsman's 
cup  or  a  dicebox,  was  suspended  on  the  right  side 
to  receive  two  or  three  arrows ;  the  more  cumber 
some  quiver,  while  in  target-shooting,  being  left  on 
the  ground  near  at  hand,  filled  with  shafts  to  re 
place  those  broken  or  lost. 

The  party  of  archeresses  consisted  of  seven  fair 
girls,  the  eldest  scarce  seventeen.  They  were  fanci 
fully  attired,  some  in  green,  and  others  in  orange  or 
blue  hunting-jackets,  after  the  tasteful  fashion  of  the 
period  ;  a  costume  admirably  calculated  to  display 
their  sylphan  shapes.  They  all  wore  hats  of  the  col 
our  of  their  spencers,  looped  up  in  front,  and  orna 
mented  with  waves  of  snowy  plumes.  Long  white 
trains  descended  from  their  waists  to  the  ground, 
but,  in  shooting,  were  gathered  beneath  the  belt  on 
the  left  side,  and,  thence  falling  down  again  to  the 
feet  in  numerous  folds,  added  to  the  grace  and  pictu- 
resqueness  of  their  appearance.  Each  archeress 
was  attended  by  a  favoured  youth  as  an  esquire, 
habited  in  a  green  or  gray  hunting-frock,  bordered 
with  a  wreath  of  embroidered  oak-leaves,  with  an 
arrow  worked  in  silver  thread  on  each  lappel. 
They  wore  broad  flapping  hats,  turned  boldly  back 
from  the  forehead,  and  shaded  in  front  with  a  droop 
ing  black  plume.  Each  carried  a  short  hunting- 
spear,  decked  with  ribands  of  the  colour  of  his  mis 
tress' jacket,  gifts  from  her  own  hand  and  tied  there 
on  with  her  own  fingers,  in  token  that  she  acknowl 
edged  him  as  her  "  Esquire  of  the  Bow."  The  duty 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  15 

of  these  youthful  cavaliers  was  to  select  a  bow  suited 
to  the  strength  of  the  archeress  whose  colours  they 
wore  ;  to  fit  it  with  an  arrow  of  a  weight  proportioned 
to  its  power,  having  a  nock  exactly  receiving  the 
string ;  to  assist,  if  the  lady  is  unskilled,  in  string 
ing  the  bow ;  to  draw  the  arrows  from  the  butt,  or 
collect  the  far-shot  shafts  and  return  them  to  the 
owner ;  and  otherwise,  as  courtesy  and  gallantry 
prompted,  to  do  their  duty  as  "  esquires  of  arch- 
em." 

Once  more  the  sonorous  horn  of  old  Cormac 
was  heard  winding,  now  high,  now  low,  in  a  long, 
wild  strain,  and  then  ending  in  three  sharp  blasts, 
like  the  stirring  notes  of  a  bugle  sounding  to  the 
charge.  Every  archeress  now  had  her  brace  buck 
led  on  her  arm,  and  her  shooting-glove  buttoned 
about  her  wrist ;  every  one  had  two  good  arrows 
in  the  pouch  at  her  belt,  and  a  third  on  the  string; 
and  each  fair  girl,  attended  by  her  esquire,  hasten 
ed  to  the  stand  by  the  southernmost  target  at  the 
sound  of  the  forester's  horn — save,  in  each  instance, 
Kate  Bellamont !  Her  brace  would  not  buckle  all 
she  could  do ;  her  shooting-glove  would  not  go  on, 
and  three,  that  she  had  pulled  off,  were  lying  rent 
at  her  feet ;  and  not  an  arrow  was  to  be  seen  in 
her  tortoise-shell  pouch,  though  half  a  dozen  fair 
ones  lay  about  her  on  the  ground !  It  was  very 
plain  that  something  was  going  wrong  with  the 
maiden.  Such  a  dilemma  could  not  have  hap 
pened  without  a  cause.  The  braces  of  the  rest 
buckled  with  ease ;  their  shooting-gloves  fitted 
beautifully ;  and  there  had  been  time  enough  to  fill 
twenty  pouches.  Why,  then,  was  Kate  Bellamont 
not  ready  ?  Her  brace,  both  strap  and  buckle,  was 
perfect ;  and  the  wrist  it  was  destined  to  compass 
was  not  to  be  matched  for  its  smallness  of  size  ! 
The  gloves,  plainly  were  just  what  they  should  be  ! 


16  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

Her  companions  had  been  fitted,  and  her  hand  was 
the  smallest  as  well  as  the  fairest  of  the  party ; 
besides,  there  were  a  dozen  pairs  on  the  ground  that 
evidently  were  made  for  no  other  hand.  The  cause 
could  not  lie  in  the  arrows,  for  they  were,  to  the 
eye,  without  fault,  and  of  every  variety  of  shape 
and  fashion  known  to  archery ;  nor  in  her  handsome 
esquire,  who,  save  when  requested  by  some  eager 
girl  to  assist  her,  had  been  diligently  serving  her 
with  arrow  after  arrow,  until  he  had  emptied  two 
quivers,  the  contents  of  which  now  lay  strewn 
around.  The  cause  is  not  to  be  found  in  either  of 
these.  The  truth  is,  Kate  Bellamont  was  playing 
with  her  little  foot  against  the  ground  when  sho 
should  have  been  trying  on  her  glove.  No  sooner 
was  one  pulled  half  way  on  than  she  suffered  it  to 
remain  so,  drumming  the  while  in  a  fit  of  absence 
on  the  sward,  while  her  eyes  followed  the  motions 
of  her  handsome  esquire.  The  next  moment,  re 
covering  herself,  she  would  tear  it  off  impatiently, 
and,  with  a  laugh,  fling  it  to  the  ground.  She  would 
then  take  up  another,  and  go  through  the  same  pro 
cess,  or  play  with  her  brace  instead  of  buckling  it ; 
and  when  the  young  gentleman  gave  her  an  arrow, 
without  scarcely  touching  it  to  the  bow-string  she 
threw  it  down,  saying  it  was  too  heavy  or  too  light, 
too  long  or  too  short,  had  too  much  feather  or  had 
not  feather  enough ;  so  that,  when  the  rest  of  the 
party  were  ready,  Kate  Bellamont  was  just  where 
ghe  was  at  the  outset,  The  result  of  all  this,  wheth 
er  brought  about  designedly  or  not  by  a  little  fe* 
male  manoeuvring,  being  a  question  to  be  solved  by 
such  as  are  skilled  in  the  ways  and  means  by  which 
women  work  out  their  ends,  was,  that  when  the  last 
notes  of  Cormac's  horn  died  away  in  the  forest, 
Kate  Bellamont  found  herself  and  her  esquire,  the 
noble  and  youthful  heir  of  the  broad  lands  of  the 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  17 

earldom  of  Lester,  left  quite  alone.  The  brace  was 
on  her  arm  unbuckled,  and  she  held  a  glove  in  her 
hand. 

"  Lord  Robert,  do  clasp  this  troublesome  brace 
for  me.  Strange  you  could  not  see  what  difficulty 
I  have  had  to  get  ready  !  But  I  suppose  you  were 
:;  so  engaged  fitting  an  arrow  to  pretty  Gracy  Fitz 
gerald's  bow,  that  you  had  no  eyes  for  any  one 
else !" 

This  was  said  half  in  pique,  half  laughingly; 
and  holding,  with  a  pouting  lip,  her  snowy  arm  to 
wards  her  esquire  as  she  spoke,  he  gallantly  re 
ceived  it,  and  with  the  merest  effort  in  the  world 
clasped  the  rebellious  brace.  But  he  did  not  re 
lease  her  soft  hand  without  giving  it  a  slight  pres 
sure,  and  looking  into  her  face  with  an  eloquent 
gaze,  which  she  consciously  met  with  eyes  half 
downcast,  yet  beaming  through  their  long  dark 
lashes  with  a  gentle  fire  that  young  love  only  could 
have  kindled. 

"  Now,  Sir  Esquire,  fasten  this  glove." 

The  youth  bent  till  the  black  plume  of  his  bonnet 
rested  on  her  arm,  and,  with  some  difficulty  ap 
parently,  for  he  was  a  very  long  time  about  it,  suc 
ceeded  in  buttoning  the  silken  strap  across  the  blue- 
veined  wrist ;  nor  did  he  lift  his  head  from  the  fair 
hand,  which  lay  nestled  like  a  bird  in  his  beneath 
the  thick  covert  of  his  drooping  featker,  ere  he  had 
touched  it  with  his  bold  lip. 

"  Ha,  Sir  Forester,  is  this  a  part  of  your  service 
as  squire  of  archery  ?"  she  demanded,  with  the  blood 
mounting  to  her  cheek  in  maidenly  surprise ;  though 
the  pouting  smile  on  her  mouth,  which  she  vainly 
tried  to  turn  into  a  frown,  and  the  dancing  light  in 
her  telltale  eyes,  betokened  any  thing  besides  resent 
ment  at  the  bold  deed ;  "  I  see  I  must  resign  you 
to  my  sly  little  cousin  Gracy,  and  take  her  well- 
B2 


18  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

behaved  esquire  ;  doubtless  you  better  understand 
her  humour  than  you  seem  to  do  mine." 

By  the  time  she  had  ended  she  had  succeeded  in 
calling  up  a  small  cloud  on  her  brow,  which  strug 
gled  very  hard  to  cast  a  shadow  over  the  sunny  light 
that  played  around  her  lovely  mouth  and  was  re 
flected  back  in  a  thousand  rays  from  the  deep  wells 
of  her  black,  Castilian  eyes. 

"  Forgive  me,  sweet  Lady  Kate,"  said  the  esquire, 
dropping  on  one  knee — disguising  his  attitude  to  the 
eyes  of  others  by  gathering  carelessly  one  or  two 
arrows  from  the  ground — to  her  eyes  alone  a  sup 
pliant.  The  expression  of  his  face  amusingly  wa 
vered  between  playful  mockery  and  seriousness,  as 
if  greatly  fearing,  yet  doubting  much,  that  his  daring 
act  had  really  given  offence  :  a  sort  of  neutral  ground 
between  mirth  and  grief,  with  the  advantage  of  en 
abling  him  to  fall  readily  into  the  one  or  the  other, 
as  he  should  find  the  needle  of  her  humour  pointed. 

"  See,  then,  you  offend  not  again,  sir,"  she  said, 
laughing  at  the  troubled  expression  of  his  serio 
comic  countenance.  "  Haste  !  choose  me  an  ar 
row  that  tapers  from  the  pile  to  the  feather." 

"  One  that  tapers  each  way  from  the  middle  will 
suit  you  better  for  shooting  in  this  light  wind,"  said 
the  young  esquire,  the  puzzled  play  of  his  hand 
some  features  changed  to  sunshine  by  her  voice. 
As  he  spoke  he  brought  a  quiver  full  of  arrows  and 
poured  them  out  at  her  feet,  and,  kneeling  on  the 
thick  verdure,  selected  an  arrow  of  the  kind  he  had 
named. 

"  No,  no,"  she  said,  putting  it  aside ;  "  they  al 
ways  curve  from  the  line  of  sight ;  and,  besides,  fly 
unsteady." 

"  Not  in  a  wind,  Kate.  The  fulness  in  the  mid 
dle  counteracts  the  weight  of  the  ends,  and  drives 
it  more  evenly." 


THE   WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  19 

"  Do  as  you  are  bidden,  Sir  Esquire,"  she  said. 
"  Don't  think  now  you  are  going  to  have  your  own 
way."  A  second  arrow  was  placed  in  her  hand 
by  the  youth. 

"Why,  Lord  Robert,  what  is  the  matter  with 
your  wits !  This  is  an  arrow  of  the  same  kind ; 
and,  besides,  it  is  without  a  cock-feather.  I  shall 
have  to  call  yonder  handsome  fisher's  lad,  who  is 
watching  me  so  admiringly,  to  my  assistance." 

The  esquire,  without  looking  up,  mechanically 
handed  to  her  a  third  arrow,  with  the  head  broken 
and  the  feathers  ruffled.  Without  being  able  to 
speak  in  her  surprise,  she  looked  quietly  down  and 
beheld  the  young  man  so  intently  contemplating  one 
of  her  exquisite  little  feet,  that  twice  she  spoke  to 
him  ere  he  looked  up  to  encounter  her  gaze  of  arch 
astonishment.  It  was  very  plain  what  had  become 
of  her  esquire's  wits.  The  youth  blushed,  and  has 
tily  rose  to  his  feet ;  but  the  maiden  could  not  dis 
guise  a  little  female  vanity,  though  she  shook  her 
finger  at  him,  and  said  mischievously, 

"  Do  you  propose  becoming  a  cordwainer,  and 
making  me  a  pair  of  slippers,  Lord  Robert,  that  you 
are  so  busy  taking  the  dimensions  of  my  foot  ?" 

"  I  would  willingly  become  apprentice  to  the 
meanest  cobbler,  to  be  suffered  to  take  the  measure 
of  that  tiny  foot,  and  fit  it  with  a  shoe,"  said  the 
youth,  with  gallantry. 

The  maiden  laughed,  and,  unwilling  to  betray 
the  feeling  his  words  had  created,  said,  "Do  be 
quick,  Lord  Robert ;  my  bow  is  not  yet  strung  with 
our  foolish  idling  here,  and  I  shall  be  too  late  for 
the  lists." 

As  she  spoke  she  grasped  her  bow  firmly  in  the 
middle,  and  extending  her  hand,  containing  the 
string  terminating  with  a  loop,  to  the  upper  limb, 
she  pulled  smartly  upward,  pressing  the  limb  down- 


20  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

ward  at  the  same  time  with  her  left  wrist,  and  skil 
fully  and  accurately  carried  the  eye  of  the  bow 
string  into  the  nock.  Her  bow,  like  those  of  her 
companions,  was  five  feet  in  length,  neatly  made  of 
dark  wood  highly  polished,  and  rounded  on  the  in 
ner  side  to  increase  its  power  in  shooting. 

"  Well  and  featly  done  !  That's  a  tough  yew,  and 
a  man's  strength  could  not  have  better  done  what 
your  little  fingers,  with  skill  to  guide  them,  I  have 
just  seen  do.  You  were  an  apt  pupil,  young  mis 
tress,  and  do  honour  to  old  Dermot's  lessons." 

Kate  Bellamont  turned  and  saw  the  old  forester 
close  at  her  side.  "  If  I  have  any  skill,  good  Cor- 
mac,"  she  said,  "  I  do  owe  it  all  to  your  kind  teach 
ing  ;  and  if  I  win  the  arrow  this  day,  you  shall  have 
it  as  a  birthday  gift  from  me,  to  wear  in  your  bon 
net  instead  of  your  pipe." 

The  forester  lifted  his  bonnet  with  a  gratified  air, 
mingled  with  respect,  at  this  expression  of  kindness 
from  his  lovely  young  mistress,  and  said, 

"  I  know  you  would  give  Cormac,  sweet  lady, 
even  the  fair  white  plume  that  graces  your  brow  if 
you  thought  it  would  gratify  the  old  man.  God 
bless  you,  noble  child ;  may  you  live  to  see  many 
such  bright  birthdays  as  this  !"  The  rough  hunts 
man  brushed  a  tear  from  his  eyes  as  he  spoke ;  for 
the  experience  of  years  had  told  him  that  clouds 
would  obscure  the  bright  sky  of  her  young  hopes, 
and  that  each  returning  birthday  might  be  but  a  sad 
waymark  to  denote  the  slow  passage  of  a  life  of 
sorrow  and  trial.  "  The  countess  has  bid  me  come 
and  see  if  you  need  my  aid  in  fitting  your  shafts, 
that  you  delay." 

"No,  no,  Cormac,"  said  the  maiden,  blushing; 
but  directly  she  cried,  "  Yes,  you  can  help  me.  I 
am  undecided  whether  to  shoot  an  arrow  that  tapers 
from  the  head  to  the  feathers,  or  from  the  feathers 
to  the  head,  or  from  the  middle  both  ways  " 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  21 

"What  says  Master  Robert?"  asked  Dermot, 
smiling  archly  through  one  of  his  little  gray  eyes, 
the  other,  from  the  long  habit  of  shutting  it  in 
shooting,  having  at  last  got  to  be  so  firmly  closed 
up  in  a  radiating  network  of  fine  wrinkles  as  to 
have  been  for  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  invis 
ible. 

"  Pshaw,  Cormac !"  she  cried,  stooping  till  her 
snowy  plumes  shaded  her  burning  cheek ;  "  I  did 
not  ask  Lord  Robert,  but  you." 

"  I  have  advised  Lady  Kate,  forester,  to  shoot 
arrows  that  taper  both  to  feather  and  pile,"  said  the 
youth,  haughtily. 

"  And  she  chooses — " 

"  Those  that  taper  from  the  pile  to  the  feather," 
said  the  maiden,  quickly 

"  If  the  distance  were  seventy  yards  instead  of 
fifty,"  said  the  forester,  measuring  the  ground  with 
his  eye,  "  it  would  be  a  good  shaft  for  a  steady 
hand ;  but,  if  you  will  let  me  decide,  I  would  rec 
ommend  you  to  take  the  taper  from  the  feather, 
especially  as  the  air  is  in  motion." 

"  Your  skill  is  at  fault  for  once,  old  man,"  said 
the  young  noble,  with  a  flushed  brow ;  "  the  best 
bowmen  in  England — ay,  Robin  Hood  himself, 
were  he  here  this  day — would  teach  you  your  craft 
belter." 

"  You  are  in  error,  Master  Robert,"  said  the  for 
ester,  with  some  warmth,  in  defence  of  his  profes 
sion  ;  "  and  he  who  taught  you  that  a  double  taper 
is  better  in  a  wind  than — " 

"  Hist,  old  graybeard !  you  know  nothing  of 
woodscraft ;  yonder  fisher's  lad  will  even  tell  you  a 
shaft  swelling  in  the  middle  will  waver  in  its  pas 
sage  through  the  wind  like  a  weathercock." 

"  Nay,  Master  Robert — " 

"  Speak  again,  old  man,  and  I  strike  you  !"  said 


22  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

the  young  noble,  imperiously,  angry  that  his  skill 
should  be  called  in  question  ;  feeling  positive  that  he 
alone  was  right,  or  else  too  proud  to  acknowledge 
his  conviction. 

"  For  shame,  Lester,"  cried  Kate  Bellamont,  with 
an  indignant  look  ;  "  I  did  not  think  you  were  of  so 
overbearing  and  ungracious  a  temper  !  Besides," 
she  added,  proudly,  "  I  sought  Cormac's  opinion ! 
Strike  an  old  man,  and  in  a  lady's  presence  !  Out 
upon  thy  manhood,  Robert.  Ask  Cormac's  for 
giveness,  or  never  speak  to  me  more." 

"  Pardon  my  hasty  speech,  Kate,"  he  said,  abash 
ed  by  her  look,  and  reproached  by  the  cutting  irony 
of  her  words,  approaching  her  as  he  spoke  with  an 
air  of  deep  mortification,  "  forgive — " 

"To  Cormac,  sir,  not  me." 

"For  Cormac,  in  atonement,  I  will  send  from 
Castle  More  a  fat  buck,  with  this  very  arrow  stick 
ing  in  its  heart ;  but,"  he  added,  with  haughty 
fierceness,  "  I  will  ask  no  man's  forgiveness.  If  I 
have  offended,  I  am  ready  to  stand  by  my  words." 

"  Marry  come  up  !  we  are  like  to  have  a  letting 
of  blood  here,"  said  the  maiden,  between  jest  and 
seriousness.  "Will  you  be  docile,  Robert?" 

"  At  your  bidding,  Kate,  as  a  lamb." 

"  Very  like  a  lamb.  Forget  it,  Dermot.  You 
have  made  his  pride  a  little  sore  to  tell  him,  before 
a  lady,  he  knew  not  how  to  choose  a  shaft,  and  so 
unfit  to  be  an  esquire  of  archery." 

"  Young  blood  will  up,"  said  the  forester.  "  I 
meant  not  to  gainsay  your  skill,  Master  Robert,  for 
it's  known  to  every  bowman  that  no  young  hand  in 
the  county  can  send  a  shaft  farther  or  surer  than 
young  Lord  Robert  of  Castle  More." 

"  That  will  do,  Cormac.  Now,  Robert,  see  that 
you  henceforward  take  fire  less  readily ;  and  you, 
good  Dermot,  refrain  from  wounding  the  esteem  of 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  23 

these  young  lords.  Verily,  it  behooves  me  to  look 
to  my  own  speech  in  such  fiery  company.  Nay, 
Robert,"  she  added,  laughing,  "  I  have  done.  Give 
me  the  shafts  ;  and,  as  we  are  to  have  three  shots 
apiece  at  the  target,  I  will  shoot  one  of  each  kind, 
and  be  the  prize  his  whose  arrow  wins  !  Give  me 
them,  Robert ! — nay,  don't  press  my  fingers  so  hard ; 
I  don't  want  them  in  my  hand,  but  in  the  pouch. 
Go,  Cormac,  I  am  ready.  I  see  my  lady  mother 
is  shaking  her  silver  arrow  at  me  already  for  loiter 
ing  here  when  I  should  be  at  the  post." 

The  next  moment  she  had  joined  the  archers,  and 
the  trial  of  skill  forthwith  commenced.  The  first 
arrow  that  was  shot  was  from  the  bow  of  a  fair- 
haired  girl,  in  a  blue  hat  and  a  silken  bodice  of  the 
same  colour ;  it  flew  wide  of  the  mark,  and  quivered 
in  the  trunk  of  a  tree  sixty  yards  off. 

"  There  was  nerve  in  that,  Lady  Eustace,"  said 
old  Cormac,  who  watched  each  shot  with  profes 
sional  interest ;  "  but  you  grasped  the  handle  of  your 
bow  too  tightly,  and  so  made  your  aim  unsteady. 
Hold  your  bow  as  lightly  as  you  would  a  hunting- 
whip.  'Tis  not  strength,  but  skill,  that  sends  the 
bolt  into  the  eye  of  the  butt." 

The  young  archeress  laughed  at  her  failure,  and 
resigned  her  place  to  another,  who  was  distinguish 
ed  by  an  orange-coloured  spencer.  This  second 
shot  was  more  successful ;  for,  swiftly  cleaving  the 
air,  the  arrow  stuck  in  the  orange  circle. 

"  Bravo !  orange  to  orange  !"  was  the  cry  that 
on  all  sides  hailed  this  appropriate  hit. 

The  third  shaft  was  still  better  directed;  and, 
hitting  the  red  or  inner  circle,  stuck  there  for  a 
moment  trembling  like  an  aspen-leaf,  and  then  fell 
to  the  ground. 

"  A  brave  bolt  that !  a  brave  bolt  that,"  said  the 
forester,  "  and  drawn  well  to  the  head.  But  you 


24  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

should  have  brought  the  nock  of  your  arrow  down 
more  towards  your  ear.  The  ear  in  shooting  an 
arrow;  the  eye  in  firing  a  pistol  or  harquebuss. 
That  shaft  was  a  taper  from  the  feather,  Master 
Robert." 

"  Hush,  Cormac,"  cried  Kate  Bellamont,  quick 
ly  ;  "  would  you  get  your  gray  beard  into  a  broil. 
Kobert,  bring  me  my  quiver,"  she  said,  as  she  saw 
the  young  man's  eye  light  up ;  "  one  of  my  arrows, 
the  very  one  you  gave  me,  has  the  cock-feather 
awry !  Stay  !  you  need  not  bring  the  quiver,  but 
select  a  shaft  for  me  yourself.  I  will  keep  it  as  my 
forlorn  hope,  and  mark  me  if  it  do  not  carry  off  the 
prize."  She  sought  his  eyes  and  looked  so  be- 
witchingly  after  a  manner  maidens  have  of  their 
own,  that  his  brow  coloured  and  his  eyes  beamed 
with  a  different  emotion,  while,  with  a  fluttering 
heart,  he  went  to  do  her  bidding. 

Oh,  gentle  and  angelic  woman  !  ever  ready  to 
calm  the  ruffled  brow  with  words  of  peace  !  to  bring 
good  out  of  evil !  to  step  between  fierce  man  and 
his  reinless  passions !  with  an  eye  to  sooth,  a 
voice  to  disarm,  a  smile  to  win  !  Blessings  on 
thee,  woman !  whether  in  thy  happy  and  innocent 
girlhood,  or  fair  and  gentle  maidenhood ;  whether 
maid  or  matron,  young  or  old,  lovely  or  homely ! 
Blessings  on  thee,  sweet  leaven  of  humanity  !  yet 
partaking  so  much  of  the  heavenly  nature,  that 
the  sons  of  the  gods,  we  are  told,  were  lured  from 
their  celestial  thrones  to  cast  their  crowns  at  thy 
feet! 

'  A  fourth  arrow  hit  the  black  circle ;  and  the 
fifth,  sent  from  the  bow  of  a  tall,  graceful  girl,  struck 
on  the  outer  edge  of  the  target  and  splintered  it, 
while  the  bow  itself  snapped  in  two  in  her  hand. 

"  What  a  mischievous  shot,  Fanny,"  cried  Lady 
Bellamont,  smiling ;  "  if  by-and-by  you  launch  Cu- 


THE    WIZARD    OP    THE    SEA.  25 

pid's  shafts  at  your  lovers'  hearts  in  that  way,  you 
will  make  sad  havoc." 

"  It  was  all,  your  ladyship,  of  placing  the  short 
limb  of  the  bow  uppermost.  Hugh  Conor  must  be 
getting  old  that  he  teacheth  not  his  pupil  better 
to  handle  the  bow,"  said  old  Cormac,  shaking  his 
snowy  locks  as  the  next  archeress,  a  sylph-like  lit 
tle  being,  about  fifteen,  with  dangerous  hazel  eyes ; 
rich  chestnut-coloured  hair,  that  flowed  in  curls  all 
over  her  shoulders ;  a  voice  like  some  merry  bird's, 
and  a  wild,  joyous  spirit  lighting  up  like  a  sun 
beam  her  whole  countenance,  took  her  place  at  the 
stand. 

"Now,  cousin  Gracy,  do  be  steady  !"  cried  Kate 
Bellamont ;  "  take  heed !  you  will  shoot  my  esquire 
through  the  heart  if  you  handle  your  bow  so  care 
lessly." 

"  And  then  you  would  shoot  me  through  the 
head  in  return,  I  dare  say." 

The  laughing  girl  bounded  to  the  stand  as  she 
spoke,  carelessly  drew  her  arrow  to  the  head,  and, 
ere  she  had  well  taken  aim,  away  it  flew,  and  passed 
through  the  centre  of  the  emblazoned  target  waving 
on  the  summit  of  the  pavilion,  and  continued  its 
wild  flight  into  the  wood  beyond. 

"  Bravo,  cousin  Gracy  !  you  have  won  the  silver 
arrow,"  cried  Kate  Bellamont.  "  Lord  Robert,  I 
wonder  if  that  was  the  arrow  you  chose  for  Lady 
Grace.  A  taper  both  ways,  or  .I'll  forfeit  my  jen 
net  !" 

"  Who  makes  the  broil  now,  young  mistress  ?" 
asked  the  old  forester,  with  a  glance  of  humour. 

"  You  and  I,  worthy  Cormac,  are  two  very  dif 
ferent  people  where  a  young  gentleman  is  con 
cerned,"  said  the  maiden,  laughing. 

The  forester  shook  his  head  incredulously,  and, 
turning  to  Grace  Fitzgerald,  said,  "  Faith,  but  it  was 

VOL.  I.— C 


26  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

a  brave  shot  that,  my  young  lady  !  You  have  done 
what  old  Dermot  could  not  have  done  at  a  target, 
playing  in  the  wind  like  that.  But,  with  the  leave 
of  my  lady  the  queen,  you  must  have  a  second 
shot  at  the  real  target.  Take  this  arrow,  that  tapers 
from  the  feather  to  the  pile ;  fit  it  to  your  bow 
string  exactly  at  the  spot  where  it  is  wound  round 
with  silk ;  and,  if  you  will  follow  my  directions,  I 
will  teach  you  to  strike  the  centre  of  the  true  butt, 
or  never  draw  arrow  to  head  again."  Leave  being 
granted  by  acclamation,  the  archeress  merrily  re 
sumed  her  attitude  and  prepared  to  follow  his  in 
structions. 

"  Hold  the  bow  easily  in  your  hand.  Throw 
your  head  back  a  little.  That  will  do.  Now  keep 
your  bow-arm  straightened,  and  bend  the  wrist  of 
your  gloved  hand  inward.  Now  raise  your  bow, 
steadily  drawing  the  arrow  at  the  same  time — not  to 
wards  your  eye,  but  towards  your  ear.  Be  steady  ! 
When  it  is  three  parts  drawn,  take  your  aim  at  the 
centre.  Keep  the  head  of  the  arrow  a  little  to  the 
right  of  the  mark.  Be  cool,  and,  if  you  are  sure  of 
your  aim,  draw  the  arrow  quickly  and  steadily  to 
the  head,  and  gently  part  your  fingers  and  let  it  go  !" 

The  shaft,  loosened  from  the  string,  cut  the  air 
and  buried  itself  in  the  very  centre  of  the  golden 
eye  of  the  target.  A  shout  from  every  part  of  the 
field  acknowledged  the  success  of  the  quick  pupil, 
and  bore  testimony  to  the  skill  of  the  experienced 
old  archer. 

"  It  is  Cormac's  shot,  not  mine,"  said  the  archer- 
ess  ;  "  I  am  satisfied  with  piercing  the  glittering 
centre  of  yonder  escutcheon." 

"  The  queen  shall  decide,"  cried  several  of  the 
party,  turning  towards  the  throne  where  sat  the 
lovely  countess,  amid  her  youthful  attendants,  par 
ticipating  with  girlish  interest  in  the  scene,  and 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  27 

prepared  to  decide  all  appeals  to  her  royal   um- 
pirage. 

"  Gracy  is  right.  Corrnac's  skill  directed  the 
shaft.  She  has  no  honest  claim  to  the  honour  of 
the  hit,  save  the  credit  of  having  stood  quiet  longer 
than  she  was  ever  known  to  before  !  The  banner 
with  its  perforated  target  she  is  justly  entitled  to; 
and,"  added  the  countess,  with  a  smile,  "I  here 
award  it  to  her." 

"  And  if  I  ever  get  a  husband  he  shall  carry  it 
before  him  into  battle,"  said  the  merry  sylph. 
"  Now,  divine  Kate,  see  that  you  don't  wound  my 
arrow.  I  would  not  have  it  injured  for  a  silver  one." 

"  It  tapers  from  the  middle  in  each  direction,  I 
have  no  doubt,"  said  Kate,  archly,  glancing  mis 
chievously  towards  her  esquire  as  she  prepared  to 
take  her  place  at  the  stand. 

"Your  speech  tapers  in  both  directions,  wild 
Kate,"  retorted  the  other,  blushing.  "  I  wonder 
what  you  and  Lord  Robert  could  have  been  doing, 
that  you  loitered  so  long  about  the  pavilion  !  There, 
I  declare,  if  you  are  not  holding  your  bow  with  the 
short  limb  uppermost !" 

Kate  blushed  in  her  turn,  and  reversed  it. 

"Why,  cousin  Kate  Bellamont,  you  are  going 
to  shoot  with  the  feather  towards  the  target !"  cried 
the  tantalizing  little  maiden.  "  Really,  I  do  begin 
to  wonder  what  you  and  Lester  could  have  been 
about,  that  the  mention  of  it  scatters  your  wits  and 
makes  you  look  so  very  foolish  !" 

Kate  shook  her  head  with  a  playful  menace  at 
her  tormentor,  placed  her  arrow  with  the  right  end 
to  the  bow-string,  and  took  her  stand  by  the  target. 
The  instant  she  fixed  her  eyes  on  it  her  self-pos 
session  returned,  and,  elevating  her  bow,  she  threw 
herself  with  careless  grace  into  the  attitude  of  an 
accomplished  archeress. 


28  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

A  more  beautiful  object  than  this  young  creature, 
standing  in  the  strikingly  spirited  attitude  she  had 
assumed,  can  hardly  be  imagined.  Though  but 
sixteen,  her  form  was  divinely  perfect.  Every 
limb — foot,  hand,  and  arm — was  a  rare  model  for 
the  sculptor's  chisel.  The  undulating  outline  of 
her  shoulders  was  faultless  ;  and  her  figure,  per 
haps,  was  the  more  beautiful  that  her  bust  and 
waist,  and  the  wavy  symmetry  of  her  whole  per 
son,  was  just  receiving  that  harmony  of  touch 
and  roundness  of  finish  which  marks  the  era  when 
the  wild  romping  girl  is  merging  into  the  blushing, 
conscious,  loving,  and  loveable  maiden  of  seven 
teen.  Descended  from  an  ancient  Milesian  family, 
she  betrayed  her  origin  in  her  complexion,  which 
was  a  rich  brunette,  reflecting  in  warm,  sunny  tints 
the  mantling  blood,  which  came  and  went  at  every 
emotion.  Her  eyes  were  dark  and  sparkling  as 
night  with  its  stars,  and  as,  with  a  slightly  bent 
brow,  she  fixed  them  on  the  target,  they  had  a  cool 
and  steady  expression  remarkable  in  one  of  her 
years  and  sex.  She  wore  a  dark  ruby  velvet  jacket, 
laced  over  a  stomacher  rich  with  brilliants,  and  a 
velvet  hat  of  the  same  dark  ruby,  surmounted  by  a 
plume  of  white  ostrich  feathers,  in  that  day  a  rare 
and  costly  ornament,  which  gracefully  drooped 
about  her  head  in  striking  contrast  with  her  raven 
locks  that  floated  around  her  superb  neck  in  the 
wildest  freedom.  Her  lips,  like  most  of  the  lips  of 
Erin's  fair  maidens,  were  of  a  rich  coral  red,  and, 
just  parted  as  she  took  sight,  rendered  visible  a 
pearly  line  of  beautifully-arranged  teeth.  Her 
mouth,  when  closed,  was  finely  shaped,  and  some 
times  wore  an  air  of  decision,  that  did  not,  however, 
in  any  way  diminish  its  witchery.  The  glow  of 
health,  and  the  pride  of  birth  and  beauty,  were  upon 
her  countenance,  and  every  feminine  grace  and 
charm  seemed  to  play  around  her. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  29 

As  she  stood  with  one  foot  a  little  advanced,  her 
neck  slightly  curved  to  bring  her  eyes  down  to  a 
level  with  the  mark,  her  left  side,  but  no  part  of 
the  front  of  the  body,  accurately  turned  towards  the 
target,  the  eyes  of  old  Corrnac  Dermot  glistened 
with  pride.  Slowly  she  elevated  the  bow,  drawing 
the  arrow  simultaneously  towards  the  ear  with  the 
first  three  gloved  fingers  of  her  right  hand,  till  she 
had  drawn  it  out  three  quarters  of  its  length,  when, 
pausing  till  she  had  filled  her  eye  with  the  golden 
eye  of  the  target,  she  drew  it  smartly  to  its  head 
and  let  it  loose  from  her  fingers.  For  an  instant 
she  stood  following  its  swift  flight :  the  pupils  of 
her  dark  eyes  dilated  and  eager ;  her  lips  closely 
shut ;  her  chest  advanced ;  her  right  arm  elevated 
and  curved  above  her  shoulders,  the  wrist  bent,  and 
the  fingers  of  the  hand  turned  gently  downward ; 
the  left  arm  extended  at  full  length,  and  grasping 
the  relaxed  bow ;  her  neck  curved  ;  her  spirited 
head  thrown  back,  and  her  whole  action  animated 
and  commanding ;  presenting  altogether,  perhaps, 
the  most  graceful  attitude  the  female  form  is  sus 
ceptible  of  assuming. 

The  arrow  was  sent  with  unerring  aim,  struck 
the  golden  eye  within  half  an  inch  of  Grace  Fitz 
gerald's,  and  buried  itself  to  its  feather.  The  lawn 
rung  with  the  plaudits  of  both  archeresses  and 
esquires ;  and  even  the  retainers  and  fishermen, 
who  were  humble  but  curious  spectators  of  the 
sports,  gave  vent  to  their  admiration  in  shouts  of 
clamorous  applause.  Old  Cormac  swung  his  long 
yew  bow  above  his  head  with  delight,  and  looked 
as  if,  in  the  pride  of  the  moment,  he  would  have 
hugged  his  accomplished  pupil  to  his  heart. 

"  Do  not  be  so  elated,  good  Dermot,"  she  said, 
laughing ;  "  it  was  the  arrow  I  chose — a  taper  from 
the  pile." 

C2 


30  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

"  The  more  skill  in  the  hand  that  drove  it  so 
truly,"  said  the  forester. 

"  I  must  do  still  better  than  this,  else  neither  you 
nor  Lord  Robert,  who,  methinks,  looks  somewhat 
blank  to  find  I  have  not  missed  to  gratify  him,  will 
neither  of  you  get  the  prize." 

"  It  was  not  a  fair  trial,  Kate,"  said  the  esquire, 
gayly;  "the  wind  has  lulled;  and,  as  you  drew 
your  bow,  there  was  not  a  breath  of  air." 

"  If,  nevertheless,  that  had  been  a  taper  from  the 
feather,"  said  the  forester,  after  surveying  the  target 
earnestly  for  a  moment,  as  obstinately  bent  on  ad 
hering  to  his  original  opinion  as  even  the  spirited 
young  noble  himself,  "it  would  have  cleft  the  ar 
row. of  Lady  Gracy  through  its  length  to  the  pile." 

"  We  will  see  to  that  anon,  worthy  Cormac.  I 
have  two  shots  more.  Here  is  the  arrow  you 
chose  for  me,  which  I  will  fit  to  my  bow-string,  and 
do  my  best  to  drive  it  through  my  cousin's." 

"  I  dare  say  you  will  if  you  can,  and  would  like, 
also,  to  destroy  everything  else  Lord  Robert  gives 
me,"  said  the  roguish  Grace,  putting  up  her  lip  and 
tossing  her  head,  with  its  cloud  of  rich  hair,  in 
admirably  affected  pique. 

The  young  esquire  of  Kate  Bellamont  looked 
embarrassed ;  Kate  laughed  and  drummed  on  the 
ground  with  her  foot,  while  the  whole  party  began 
forthwith  to  prepare  for  the  next  round.  The  cus 
tomary  mode  of  ascertaining  the  value  of  the  hits 
in  archery,  by  estimating  it  in  proportion  to  their 
distance  from  the  centre,  was  departed  from  in  the 
present  instance.  By  the  method  alluded  to,  a  hit 
in  the  gold  counts  nine ;  in  the  red,  three  ;  in  the 
orange,  two ;  in  the  black,  one ;  and  their  sum  is 
the  value  of  the  hits  :  a  process  which  makes  three 
hits  in  the  red  circle  of  the  same  value,  or  nearly 
so,  of  one  in  the  gold.  In  the  present  case,  the 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  31 

shots  were  limited  to  three,  and  the  prize  awarded 
to  the  greatest  number  of  hits  in  the  gold. 

In  the  second  round,  the  first  three  arrows  struck 
three  different  circles  ;  and  one  well-directed  shaft, 
shot  by  the  archeress  who  had  before  broken  her 
bow,  hit  the  gold,  though  at  its  junction  with  the 
red.  Grace  Fitzgerald  bent  her  bow  without  aim, 
but  the  courteous  arrow  went  accurately  to  the 
mark,  and  struck  within  a  finger's  breadth  of  the 
centre,  much  to  the  delight  of  Cormac,  the  forester, 
who  took  himself  all  the  credit  of  the  fair  shot. 
Kate,  with  the  arrow  given  her  by  Cormac  fitted 
to  her  bow-string,  took  somewhat  less  careful  aim 
than  with  her  first  shot,  and  was  about  to  loose  the 
arrow,  when  a  hawk,  bearing  a  live  fish  in  his  tal 
ons,  soared  above  the  cliff,  and  with  swift  wing 
flew  high  across  the  lawn  in  the  direction  of  the 
forest.  Quicker  than  thought,  the  point  of  the  ar 
row  was  elevated  from  the  target  into  the  air, 
drawn  to  its  head  with  a  stronger  arm  and  more 
resolute  eye,  and  launched  from  the  bow-string. 
With  irresistible  force  and  unerring  aim,  it  cleft 
the  air  and  struck  the  proud  bird  of  prey  beneath 
the  wing.  He  uttered  a  wild  cry,  flew  heavily  a 
few  feet  perpendicularly  upward,  and  then,  whirling 
round  and  round  in  concentric  circles,  each  gyration 
bringing  him  nearer  the  earth,  fell,  transfixed  with 
the  arrow,  among  the  fishermen  :  fluttering  wildly 
on  the  ground  in  agony,  he  succeeded,  before  they 
could  secure  him,  in  flapping  himself  over  the 
precipice.  He  was  instantly  followed  by  a  daring 
young  fisherman,  who  had  been  endeavouring  to 
capture  him — the  same  youth  whose  admiration  of 
her  had  before  attracted  the  notice  of  Kate  Bella- 
mont. 

For  a  moment  the  generous  heart  of  the  fair 
archer  shrunk  from  the  wreck  she  had  made,  and 


32  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

she  turned  away  her  head  from  the  dying  struggles 
of  the  dark  bandit  of  the  air.  But  maidens  of  that 
period  were  too  familiar  with  the  more  revolting 
scenes  of  the  chase  to  show  emotion  at  witnessing 
the  death  of  a  hawk ;  and,  therefore,  sympathy  for 
the  fate  of  the  victim  of  her  skill  gave  place  to  the 
pride  of  the  successful  archer. 

"There  is  a  prize  for  you,  Cormac,  better  than 
a  golden  arrow,"  she  said,  with  a  flashing  eye ; 
"  and,  when  next  I  go  a  hawking,"  she  archly  added, 
"  I  will  be  sure  to  use  arrows  that  taper  from  the 
feather." 

The  third  and  final  round  now  followed.  Each 
archeress  had  shot  her  last  arrow  save  Kate  Bel- 
lamont,  yet  but  three  arrows  besides  her  own  and 
the  equivocal  shot  of  Grace  Fitzgerald  were  in  the 
centre,  and  these  from  as  many  different  bows. 
Grace  had  made  a  wilder  shot  even  than  her  first; 
for  her  arrow,  jeopardizing  the  lives  of  the  poor  fish 
ermen,  flew  far  over  the  cliff  out  of  sight.  Four  of 
the  companions  of  Kate  had,  equally  with  herself, 
each  an  arrow  in  the  gold ;  but  as  she  had  yet  to 
shoot  her  third  arrow,  she  had  yet  a  chance  of 
making  a  second  hit  and  winning  the  prize.  Glan 
cing  with  proud  consciousness  of  her  own  skill 
towards  her  young  esquire,  she  drew  her  remain 
ing  arrow  through  her  fingers,  carefully  examining 
each  one  of  its  three  feathers,  and  fitted  it  accu 
rately  to  the  bow-string ;  then  elevating  her  bow, 
she  steadily  drew  the  arrow.  All  was  breathless 
expectation.  The  old  archer  looked  on  as  if  he 
would  not  grievp  if  for  once  his  pupil  should  miss ; 
while  her  young  esquire  watched  her  with  the  anx 
iety  of  one  who  felt  that  his  judgment  and  skill  in 
the  noble  science  of  archery  were  at  stake.  As 
she  was  ready  to  loose  the  arrow,  the  wind,  which 
had  hitherto  gently  fanned  her  cheek,  increased 
suddenly  to  a  strong  breeze,  lifting  the  hair  from 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  33 

her  brow  and  tossing  her  tresses  in  wild  confusion 
about  her  neck.  The  eyes  of  Cormac  lighted  up 
with  triumph,  while  Lord  Robert  himself  curled 
his  lip  scornfully  and  smiled  with  confidence.  The 
archeress,  who  had  dropped  the  point  of  the  arrow 
with  a  misgiving,  remembering  what  Cormac  had 
said  of  it  as  ill  adapted  to  a  wind,  on  catching  the 
confident  eye  of  her  esquire  again  raised  the  bow, 
and  coolly  and  steadily  drew  the  shaft  to  its  head. 
Every  eye  followed  it  in  its  swift  course,  and  saw 
it  strike  the  arrow  of  Grace  Fitzgerald  on  the  end, 
shiver  it  to  its  pile,  and  drive  itself  through  the 
target  to  the  feather.  A  general  exclamation  of 
surprise  and  admiration  bore  testimony  to  the  skill 
of  the  victor ;  the  dark  eyes  of  the  young  esquire 
sparkled  with  triumph,  while  the  discomfited  Der- 
mot  said,  with  a  broad  laugh  of  good-humour, 

"Well,  Master  Robert,  it's  your  time  to  boast 
now.  By  the  boar's  head  o'  Castle  Cor!  I  shall 
never  hear  the  end  of  your  double  taper.  Faith, 
masters,  no  hand  but  my  young  Lady  Kate's  could 
have  sent  a  double  taper  with  such  an  aim  and  in 
this  wind,  which  young  Lord  Robert  there  has  got 
old  Elpsy  to  set  a  blowing  to  triumph  over  the  old 
man's  skill.  Well  a-day  !  What  the  gray-headed 
forester  said  of  it  is  true,  nevertheless ;  but  when 
such  a  hand  and  eye  as  Lady  Kate's  sends  the 
bolt  to  the  butt,  there  is  no  depending  on  old  rules  ; 
especially,"  he  added,  laughing,  "with  a  witch's 
wind  to  carry  the  arrow  to  its  centre." 

The  young  noble  frowned  darkly  on  the  speaker, 
and  joined  not  in  the  laugh  of  his  companions. 
Lady  Bellamont  now  commanded  Cormac  to  sound 
his  horn  three  times,  and  bid,  in  the  name  of  the 
queen  of  archery,  the  band  of  archeresses,  with  their 
esquires,  who  were  hastening  towards  the  target  to 


34  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

collect  their  arrows,  to  approach  the  throne,  and 
witness  the  award  of  the  prize  to  the  victor. 

Amid  the  congratulations  and  applauses  of  the 
whole  field,  for,  unenvious,  each  light-hearted  girl 
seemed  to  share  the  triumph  of  the  accomplished 
archeress,  the  victoress  advanced  to  the  rustic  foot 
stool  of  the  throne,  and  gracefully  knelt  to  receive, 
from  the  hand  of  the  beautiful  queen  of  the  sports, 
the  glittering  prize — a  finely-wrought  arrow  of  sil 
ver,  five  inches  in  lengh,  with  a  chased  gold  head, 
on  which  was  graven,  in  small  Gothic  characters, 
these  words : 

"  JFfeia  of  SlrcDerj,  Castle  <Eor,  $Hzs, 

MDCXCIV." 

"  Victorious  archeress,"  said  the  queen,  rising, 
her  face  beaming  with  maternal  love  and  pride,  and 
extending  her  arm  containing  the  prize,  "receive 
this  fair  token  of  your  matchless  skill,  so  well  dis 
played  this  day.  May  you  in  every  other  female 
accomplishment,  my  sweet  Kate,  be  as  successful 
as  in  archery." 

"  She'll  be  a  match  for  poor  little  Cupid,  with 
his  tiny  bow  and  arrow,  I  dare  say,"  said  Grace 
Fitzgerald,  with  a  roguish  eye.  "  Poor  youth !" 
she  continued,  glancing  significantly  towards  the 
handsome  Lord  Robert,  who  stood  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  victress,  "  I  pity  him  if  he's  like  to  have  such 
a  hole  made  in  his  heart  as  Kate  has  made  in 
yonder  target." 

This  sally  of  the  sprightly  maiden  was  merrily 
received  by  all  the  youthful  circle  save  the  con 
scious  two  who  were  its  subjects.  The  lovely 
countess  now  left  the  throne,  embraced  and  kissed 
her  noble  Kate,  whom  her  companions,  gathering 
around  her,  playfully  forced  into  the  vacant  seat. 
She  was  about  to  bound  from  it  again,  when  she 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  35 

checked  the  impulse,  reseated  herself,  and  bade  her 
esquire  advance  and  kneel  before  her.  The  gallant 
youth  obeyed ;  when,  bending  gracefully  forward, 
she  fastened  the  silver  arrow  in  the  loop  of  his 
bonnet,  and  bade  him  wear  it  on  every  return  of 
that  day  in  memory  of  the  field  of  archery  at  Castle 
Cor. 

The  noble  youth  accepted  the  gift,  won  by  the 
arrow  he  had  chosen,  with  the  same  playful,  half- 
serious  spirit  in  which  it  was  bestowed,  and  then 
kissed  the  fair  hand  that  presented  it  with  at  least 
full  as  much  passion  as  gallantry.  Amid  the  merry 
sallies,  especially  from  Grace  Fitzgerald,  this  scene 
created,  the  whole  party  of  archers  bounded  away 
like  a  troop  of  wild  deer  towards  the  target,  to 
ascertain  more  accurately  the  nature,  of  the  several 
hits,  while  the  countess,  at  a  more  dignified  pace, 
attended  by  the  forester,  returned  to  the  castle  to 
prepare  for  the  further  entertainments  of  the  day. 
But  the  fleetest  of  foot  among  the  youthful  bevy  of 
fair  girls  had  not  measured  half  the  green  space 
between  the  linden-tree  and  bristling  target,  when 
a  thrilling  outcry  of  terror  from  a  fisherman  on  the 
cliff,  who  wildly  waved  his  arms  to  some  one  below, 
and  the  next  moment  clasped  his  hands  together  in 
despair,  checked  them  in  mid  career;  and,  with 
hearts  palpitating  with  vague  apprehensions  of 
danger,  they  flew  to  the  precipice  to  ascertain  the 
cause  of  this  sudden  alarm. 


•  e.1 


36  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 


CHAPTER  II. 

"  From  crag  to  crag  descending — swiftly  sped 
Stern  Conrad  down,  nor  once  he  turned  his  head ; 
He  bounds,  he  flies,  until  his  footsteps  reach 
The  verge  where  ends  the  cliff,  begins  the  beach." 

The  Cortair. 

"  Dark  was  the  flow  of  Oscar's  hair, 
But  Allan's  locks  were  bright  and  fair." 

Oscar  of  Alva. 

"  But  who  is  he,  whose  darken'd  brow 
Glooms  in  the  midst  of  general  mirth  ?" 

Ibid. 

WHEN  the  hawk,  which  had  been  so  skilfully 
struck  by  the  arrow  of  Kate  Bellamont,  flapped 
himself,  in  his  violent  death-throes,  over  the  edge 
of  the  cliff,  a  gallant  young  fisher's  lad,  seeing  him 
lodge  in  the  topmost  branches  of  a  blasted  tree 
twenty  feet  below,  fearlessly  flung  himself  off  the 
precipice,  and  lighted,  by  the  aid  of  a  limb,  on 
a  projecting  rock  within  twelve  feet  of  him.  The 
cliff  at  this  place  was  one  hundred  and  forty  feet 
in  height,  and,  except  where  its  surface  was  opened 
by  narrow  crevices,  in  which  a  few  shrubs  and 
dwarf  cedars  found  precarious  roothold,  or  where 
a  fragment,  hurled  from  its  seat  by  the  lightning, 
or  fallen  through  age  into  the  sea,  left  a  narrow 
shelf,  it  presented  to  the  passing  boatman  on  the 
bay  below  a  naked  and  gigantic  wall,  of  nearly 
perpendicular  ascent  and  inaccessible  to  human 
foot:  indeed,  from  a  midway  brow  seventy  feet 
from  the  base,  it  receded,  leaving  a  sheer  descent 
of  that  space  from  the  water,  which  lay  black,  still, 
and  of  profound  depth  beneath.  Near  the  top  of 
the  cliff  grew  a  scathed  cedar,  clinging  with  its 
hardy  roots  into  a  cleft  in  its  face,  and  leaning 


„_ 

THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  37 

threateningly  over  the  flood.  Its  top  reached  within 
twenty  feet  of  the  summit  of  the  precipice  ;  but,  in 
clining  at  an  angle  away  from  it,  stood  full  seven 
feet  out  from  its  side.  It  was  the  ragged  arms  of 
this  tree  which  caught  the  hawk  in  his  descent, 
and  where,  with  fierce  cries  of  rage  and  pain,  he 
struggled  to  free  himself  from  the  fatal  shaft,  but 
which  he  drove  deeper  and  deeper  into  his  side 
with  every  beat  of  his  strong  wing. 

The  young  man  paused  after  lighting  upon  the 
first  landing-place,  and  measured  with  a  cool  glance 
the  dizzy  descent ;  and  then  fixed  his  gaze  on  the 
bird,  whose  blood-red  eyes  flashed  forth  vindictive 
fire  as  they  met  his,  with  a  resolute  look  that  con 
veyed  a  determination  to  capture  him  at  whatever 
risk.  The  pliant  limb  of  a  tree  growing  on  the 
summit,  by  which  he  had  let  himself  down  to  the 
place  where  he  stood,  had,  on  being  released,  sprung 
back  to  its  natural  position  far  beyond  his  reach : 
the  surface  of  rock,  eight  feet  in  height  above  him, 
was  as  even  as  a  wall  of  masonry ;  and  an  upward 
glance  satisfied  him  that,  without  assistance  from 
those  above,  to  reascend  again  would  be  impossible. 
Quietly  smiling  at  the  difficulty  in  which  he  had 
involved  himself,  the  fearless  lad  placed  his  eyes 
again  on  the  hawk  with  the  confident  and  resolute, 
and  almost  stern,  expression  they  had  before  borne, 
and  began  to  examine  narrowly  his  position,  and  to 
look  about  for  some  safe  way  of  descending  to  a 
perilous  spur,  the  breadth  of  a  man's  two  hands, 
which,  on  peering  down,  he  discovered  projecting 
from  the  side  of  the  rock  on  a  level  with  the  top  of 
the  tree.  Whether  governed  solely  by  that  pride 
of  spirit  which  is  found  in  most  youths  of  high- 
toned  feelings,  he  internally  resolved  to  accomplish 
what  he  had  thoughtlessly  undertaken ;  whether 
actuated  by  the  spirit  of  adventure,  or  whether 

VOL.  I.— D 


38  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

fascinated  by  the  beauty  of  Kate  Bellamor.*',  he 
wished  to  preserve  the  proud  bird  as  a  trophy  of 
her  skill ;  whether  one  or  all  of  these  motives  in 
fluenced  the  daring  fisher's  lad,  remains  to  be  un 
folded. 

The  spot  on  which  he  stood  was  the  projecting 
edge  of  the  second  stratum  of  rock,  twenty  inches 
wide,  running  irregularly  along  the  face  of  the  preci 
pice,  and  appeared  to  have  been  formed  by  the  fall 
ing  away  of  large  chips  or  flakes  from  the  upper  and 
softer  stratum.  From  this  rim  there  ran  a  zigzag 
crevice,  an  inch  wide,  obliquely  downward  along 
the  rock  to  the  shelf  below,  on  which  grew  a  hand 
ful  of  long  grass  and  two  or  three  slender  shrubs. 
On  a  level  with  it  was  the  top  of  the  tree ;  under 
neath,  thirty  feet  below,  were  visible  its  gnarled 
roots  clinging  to  a  mere  lip  of  the  rock,  yet  vig 
orously  inserting  themselves  in  the  neighbouring 
crevices ;  farther  down,  on  the  edge  of  the  brow 
where  the  cliff  began  to  incline  inward,  was  visible 
yet  one  more  foothold,  scarcely  a  palm  in  breadth ; 
below  that,  the  shrinking  eye  measured  a  dizzy 
vacancy  till  it  fell  upon  the  still,  pool-like  bay  be 
neath. 

The  youth  surveyed  these  features  of  the  danger 
ous  precipice  with  a  steady  eye ;  and  having  coolly 
calculated  his  chance  of  accomplishing  safely  the 
descent  of  the  twelve  feet  below  him,  sat  down 
with  his  legs  hanging  over,  and  deliberately  drew 
off  his  stout  fisher's  boots  and  hung  them  on  a  twig 
beside  him.  Then  turning  round,  he  carefully  slid 
off  and  suspended  his  body  an  instant  by  his  right 
hand,  till  he  had  firmly  inserted  the  tip  of  one  foot 
and  the  fingers  of  the  other  hand  in  the  zigzag 
crevice.  Releasing  his  right  hand  from  its  grasp 
on  the  shelf,  he  then  carried  it  below  the  left,  and 
having  got  a  firm  hold  of  the  edge  of  the  fissure, 


THE    WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  39 

let  go  with  the  left  and  passed  it  in  its  turn  under 
the  right :  he  changed  the  position  of  his  feet  in 
the  same  manner  so  long  as  he  could  obtain,  which 
was  not  always  the  case,  a  resting-place  for  his 
toes ;  and  in  this  way,  with  cool  self-possession 
and  undaunted  nerve,  which  even  the  wild  cries 
and  beating  wings  of  the  bird  could  not  move,  he 
succeeded  in  safely  reaching  the  small  projecting 
leaf,  and  stood  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  the  tree. 
The  falcon  was  now  within  seven  feet  of  him  hori 
zontally  ;  but  he  seemed  as  far  from  the  attain 
ment  of  his  object  as  before.  It  was  impossible  to 
spring  into  the  tree,  even  if  its  roots  should  not  be 
torn  from  their  rocky  bed  by  the  force  of  the  leap  and 
his  weight.  But  the  young  fisherman  possessed 
a  temper  that  never  yielded  to  obstacles,  and  seem 
ed  to  be  governed  by  a  spirit  that  scorned  defeat. 
Stretching  himself  out  upon  the  shelf,  which  was 
just  broad  enough  to  contain  his  body  lying  side 
ways  to  the  face  of  the  rock,  he  looked  down,  and 
saw  within  reach  of  his  arm  a  stout  root,  the 
strength  of  which  he  tested  ;  and  below  this,  within 
reach  of  his  feet  if  he  should  swing  himself  off, 
was  a  sharp  projection  scarce  the  size  of  his  foot ; 
and  a  few  inches  below  that,  a  stout  limb  of  the 
tree  rested  against  the  precipice.  His  eye  em 
braced  at  once  these  advantages,  and  he  did  not 
hesitate  to  avail  himself  of  them. 

Lightly,  but  yet  with  care,  he  committed  his 
weight  to  the  root,  and,  hanging  at  the  full  length 
of  his  arm,  reached,  after  three  unsuccessful  trials, 
the  spur  below  with  the  tip  end  of  one  of  his  toes. 
This,  to  one  like  him,  was  a  sufficient  hold  to  au 
thorize  him  to  release  his  grasp  above.  Lying,  like 
a  fly  upon  a  wall,  close  against  the  side  of  the  rock, 
he  now  fearlessly  yet  cautiously  let  go  his  hold,  and 
stood  with  one  foot  on  the  projection,  with  no  other 


40  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

support  but  his  muscular  adhesion  to  the  wide  wall 
of  the  precipice.  This  was  a  situation  attended 
with  the  most  imminent  peril ;  and  by  the  firmly- 
closed  lips  and  the  almost  stern  expression  of  hi-s 
eyes,  it  was  clear  that  he  was  fully  conscious  of 
his  dangerous  position.  But  there  was  no  shrink 
ing,  no  pallor,  no  sign  of  fear !  He  was  equal  to 
the  danger  he  had  braved ;  and,  as  this  increased, 
the  powers  of  his  mind  and  body  seemed  to  expand 
to  compass  it. 

The  branch  of  the  tree  was  within  a  few  inches 
of  the  point  on  which  his  foot  rested.  Slowly  and 
cautiously  he  dropped  his  unsupported  leg,  while  he 
pressed  his  cheek  and  shoulder  close  against  the 
side  of  the  cliff;  for  he  knew  that  the  slightest  de 
viation  from  the  equilibrium  would  be  fatal.  His 
foot  at  length  touched  the  horizontal  limb,  which 
was  the  thickness  of  a  man's  arm  where  it  met 
the  rock.  He  repeatedly  pressed  upon  it,  each 
successive  time  harder  and  heavier,  until  he  found 
that  it  would  bear  his  whole  weight.  Then  di 
recting  his  hand  carefully  downward  towards  his 
feet,  he  placed  it  on  the  point  of  rock,  removing  his 
foot  at  the  same  instant  to  make  room  for  it,  and 
stood  upright  and  with  confidence  on  the  limb. 

Satisfied  that  the  branch,  which,  turned  back 
by  the  cliff,  had  forced  the  tree  to  lean  over  the 
water,  would  safely  sustain  him,  he  now  glanced 
down  to  the  foot  of  the  tree,  and  began  to  inspect 
the  hold  of  the  trunk  upon  the  shelf  from  which  it 
grew.  The  examination  afforded  him  no  very 
great  assurance ;  nevertheless,  he  determined  to 
test  its  strength  by  advancing  out  on  the  limb, 
though  aware  that,  if  it  should  yield  to  his  weight, 
he  would  be  hurled  with  it  into  the  sea.  Even 
this  reflection  did  not  present  any  weighty  objection 
to  his  making  the  trial ;  for  with  a  fearless  reck- 


THE   WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  41 

ksssness,  for  which  there  is  no  sufficient  term  in 
language,  he  half  anticipated  the  possibility  of  such 
a  catastrophe,  and  caught  himself  calculating  the 
chances  in  favour  of  his  taking  in  safety  a  flight 
into  the  deep  pool  beneath.  Letting  go  his  grasp 
on  the  point  of  rock,  he  now  settled  himself  astride 
the  branch,  and  made  gradual  approaches  towards 
the  trunk.  It  remained  firm  as  the  rock  in  which 
it  was  imbedded,  and  scarcely  gave  signs  of  feel 
ing  his  weight  till  he  touched  the  body,  when  the 
top  slightly  vibrated.  He  paused ;  but,  finding  it 
still  remain  fast,  rose  to  his  feet  and  clasped  the 
scathed  trunk,  at  first  lightly,  and  then  more  firmly ; 
and  at  last,  gaining  confidence,  he  shook  it  till  the 
hawk  fluttered  anew  in  its  perch.  Assured  of  its  se 
curity,  his  lips  unclosed,  and  his  eyes  lost  their  se 
verity,  and  with  a  smile  of  success  he  cast  them  tri 
umphantly  upward,  where,  but  a  few  feet  above 
him,  entangled  by  the  long  shaft  of  the  arrow  and 
his  broken  wing,  he  saw  the  falcon  secured  in  the 
crotch  formed  by  a  fork  of  three  stumps  of  limbs 
(all  that  decay  had  left)  that  terminated  its  summit. 
Without  hesitation  he  began  to  climb  the  trunk, 
which,  save  the  limb  by  which  he  had  reached 
it,  and  the  branches  crowning  it,  was  bare  from 
its  roots  upward.  This  was  the  least  difficult  part 
of  his  hazardous  enterprise,  and  he  soon  got  within 
reach  of  the  bird,  and  stretched  one  arm  forth  to 
seize  him  by  the  wing.  But  the  fierce  animal,  who 
had  for  a  few  moments  ceased  his  struggles  to 
watch,  with  a  quick  and  guarded  glance,  the  move 
ments  of  the  young  fisherman,  no  sooner  saw  this 
hostile  demonstration  on  the  part  of  his  human  foe, 
than,  with  an  intelligence  supernaturally  called  forth 
by  existing  suffering  and  anticipated  danger,  he 
struck  at  him  fiercely  with  his  sharp,  glittering  tal 
ons  ;  while,  stretching  downward  his  head  to  the 
D2 


42  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

full  extent  of  his  neck,  he  uttered  long,  wild  cries 
of  mingled  fear  and  menace.  Nothing  daunted  by 
what,  in  itself,  was  sufficiently  appalling,  the  young 
man  coolly  watched  his  opportunity,  and,  at  the  ex 
pense  of  several  severe  wounds  in  the  wrist  from 
his  talons,  caught  the  hawk  by  the  throat.  Cling 
ing  round  a  limb  with  the  disengaged  arm,  he  raised 
himself  higher  in  the  tree,  and  lifting  his  prize, 
which  still  struck  at  him  with  his  armed  feet,  he 
skilfully  extricated  the  wing  and  arrow  from  the 
crotch :  the  next  instant,  with  the  huge,  fluttering 
bird  in  his  hand,  he  had  slidden  down  the  trunk, 
and  was  standing  on  the  transverse  limb  with  a 
flushed  brow,  and  a  triumphant  look  illuminating 
his  handsome  and  fearless  countenance. 

With  one  arm  bent  around  the,  tree,  and  the  other 
holding  the  hawk  at  full  length,  he  now  began  to 
cast  his  eyes  upward.  They  travelled  over  the  bare 
surface,  scarcely  without  lighting  upon  a  resting- 
place  for  a  squirrel ;  and  he  began,  for  the  first 
time,  to  question  the  possibility  of  reascending ;  it 
having  been  comparatively  easy  for  him  to  let  his 
body  down  by  the  orevice,  as  he  had  descended, 
while  it  would  be  impracticable  for  him  to  lift  its 
whole  weight  up  again  by  the  mere  effort  of  the  fin 
gers.  A  glance  demonstrated  this  to  him  at  once. 
But  time  was  not  given  him  to  reflect  on  a  plan  for 
surmounting  a  difficulty  which,  in  reality,  was  insur 
mountable,  his  faculties  being  at  once  called  into  ac 
tion  to  save  himself  from  being  thrown  from  this 
dizzy  perch  by  the  struggles  of  the  hawk.  This  fe 
rocious  creature  had  been  wounded  by  the  arrow  in 
the  side  just  beneath  the  wing,  which  was  broken  by 
the  fall  to  the  earth,  and,  thence  passing  upward,  the 
barb  had  come  out  through  his  back,  without  touch 
ing  any  vital  part.  His  strength  was,  therefore, 
.through  pain,  rather  augmented  than  diminished ; 


THE  WIZARD  OF  THE  SEA.  43 

and  notwithstanding  the  manual  pressure  upon  his 
windpipe,  he  now  began  to  battle  fiercely  with  his 
captor,  fighting  both  with  his  claws  and  remaining 
wing.  Though  holding  him  out  at  arm's  length, 
the  young  man  was  unable  wholly  to  defend  him 
self  from  the  sirong  blows  of  the  wing,  which  was 
three  feet  in  length,  with  which  he  violently  as 
sailed  him  about  the  head,  while  with  his  talons 
he  succeeded  in  striking  his  person  and  inflicting  a 
deep  wound  in  his  breast.  He  for  a  time  coolly 
bore  the  heavy  sweeps  of  the  wing,  hoping  he 
would  soon  tire ;  but  he  forgot  that  his  terrible 
antagonist  was  "  the  bird  of  tireless  wing ;"  and, 
at  length,  finding  his  own  strength  beginning  to 
fail,  though  his  spirit  was  unsubdued,  he  loosened 
his  hold  from  the  trunk  of  the  tree  which  his 
arm  had  hitherto  encircled,  and,  leaning  his  back 
against  it,  watched  his  opportunity,  and  suddenly, 
with  a  firm  grasp,  seized  the  wing  as  it  was 
beating  against  his  temples,  and,  by  a  sudden  and 
skilful  turn  of  his  wrist,  dislocated  it.  This  bold 
act  nearly  destroyed  his  equilibrium  ;  and,  after  its 
successful  accomplishment,  he  just  had  time  to 
recover  his  hold  on  the  tree  to  save  himself  from 
falling  into  the  dark  wave  below.  For  a  moment 
afterward  his  heart  throbbed  tumultuously ;  and  re 
flecting  on  the  imminent  peril  he  had  incurred  by 
this  necessary  exposure,  he  trembled  with  emotion 
and  several  times  breathed  heavily,  as  if  to  relieve 
his  breast  of  a  weight  of  suffocating  sensations — 
the  tribute  which  nature  demanded  of  humanity. 

Goaded  to  increased  rage  by  the  additional  pain, 
and  maddened  at  his  vain  efforts  to  lift  his  useless 
wing,  the  eyes  of  the  hawk  glittered  in  his  head 
like  a  snake's,  and,  opening  his  red  jaws,  he  thrust 
forth  his  long,  narrow  tongue,  and  hissed  at  his  cap 
tor  like  an  angry  serpent.  It  was  a  moment  that 


44  CAPTAIN  KYD  ;    OR, 

called  for  all  the  moral  energy  and  physical  nerve 
man  is  capable  of  exercising  in  the  hour  of  danger. 
The  extraordinary  young  fisherman  evinced  the 
possession  of  these  qualities  in  a  degree  adequate 
to  the  crisis  which  called  them  into  action.  With 
his  eyes  fixed  unflinchingly  on  the  burning  eyeballs 
of  the  hawk,  and  calmly  indifferent  the  while  to 
the  terrible  hisses  which  came  hot  from  his  throat 
and  fell  warm  upon  his  face,  he  continued  to  keep 
him  at  bay  so  that  his  talons  should  not  reach  his 
person,  and  put  forth  all  his  strength  to  strangle  him. 
There  was  a  moral  grandeur  in  the  spectacle  this 
young  fisher's  lad  presented,  fearlessly  perched  on 
his  fearful  eminence,  as  regardless  of  the  depth  be 
low  as  if  standing  in  his  own  cottage  door,  battling 
at  such  odds  with  the  fiercest  warrior  of  the  air ! 

It  was  at  this  crisis  that  one  of  the  fisher 
men,  a  very  old  man,  whose  attention,  with  that 
of  his  companions,  had  been  hitherto  too  much 
occupied  by  the  trial  at  archery  to  give  a  thought 
to  the  youth,  after  having  remained  to  see  the  prize 
awarded  to  the  victress,  turned  to  leave  the  ground, 
when  missing  the  young  man,  he  recollected  that 
he  had  seen  him  follow  the  hawk  to  the  verge  of 
the  cliff.  Calling  him  by  name  and  not  receiving 
any  reply,  he  approached  the  precipice  ;  but  finding 
that  he  was  on  the  most  perpendicular  part  of  it,  he 
cast  only  a  hasty  glance  down,  and  was  about  to  turn 
away,  supposing  he  had,  unseen,  descended  to  the 
beach  by  the  usual  route  a  little  farther  to  the 
north,  when  a  movement  far  below  arrested  his 
eyes.  Looking  steadily,  he  beheld  the  youth  with 
one  arm  clasped  round  the  tree,  and  the  other 
stretched  out,  holding  the  bird  by  the  neck,  while 
all  his  moral  and  physical  energies  were  called 
into  action  to  enable  him  to  defend  himself  against 
the  talons  of  the  savage  creature. 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA. 


45 


A  glance  conveyed  to  the  fisherman  the  whole 
extent  of  the  danger ;  and,  after  looking  down  upon 
him  for  a  moment  in  speechless  horror,  his  limbs 
trembled  with  fear,  and,  giving  utterance  to  a  wild 
cry,  he  would  have  fallen  from  the  precipice  had 
he  not  caught  by  a  tree  that  hung  over  its  verge. 
Kate  Bellamont  was  the  first  to  reach  the  cliff  on 
hearing  the  alarm  given  by  the  old  man  ;  and,  glan 
cing  down,  she  intuitively  comprehended  the  peril 
in  which  the  youth  had  placed  himself.  With 
wonderful  presence  of  mind,  waving  her  hand  back 
to  those  advancing,  she  said  with  energy, 

"  Hold  !  all  of  ye  !  Breathe  not  a  word  !  He 
is  in  mortal  danger !  A  shriek,  or  a  sign  of  fear 
among  us  may  unnerve  his  bold  spirit  and  be  fatal 
to  him !" 

Several  of  the  young  archeresses  stopped  sud 
denly,  and  turned  pale  at  this  intimation  of  danger; 
while  one  or  two,  with  more  sensibility  of  nerves, 
unable  to  control  their  fears,  turned  and  fled  to 
wards  the  castle,  as  if  in  the  retirement  of  their 
closets  they  would  shut  out  all  sense  of  the  threat 
ened  evil.  Young  Lord  Robert  was  the  first  by 
Kate  Bellamont's  side. 

"  By  Heaven !  a  bold  peasant !"  he  said,  his 
eyes  sparkling  with  admiration;  "but — " 

"  Lester,  this  is  no  time  for  words,"  spoke  the 
maiden,  quickly.  "  Something  must  be  done  for 
him.  How  could  he  have  got  there  in  safety ! 
Poor,  rash  youth  !" 

"  Alas  !  my  child,  my  lost,  lost  child  !"  cried  the 
old  fisherman,  who  was  seated  on  the  ground  sha 
king  his  head  mournfully,  turning  his  eyes  away 
from  the  trying  scene.  "  God  protect  thee,  lad, 
for  no  human  aid  will  avail  thee  !" 

"Do  not  despair,  good  Dennis,  he  may  yet  be 
saved,"  said  Kate,  encouragingly. 


46  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Let  go  the  bird  !"  shouted  Lester. 

The  fisher's  lad,  whose  attention  had  been  called 
to  the  top  of  the  cliff  by  the  shout  of  the  old  man, 
and  who  had  watched  the  movements  of  those 
above,  smiled  proudly  at  this  request,  and  firmly 
shook  his  head  in  the  negative. 

"  He  deserves  to  perish  if  he  will  peril  his  life 
for  that  bird,"  said  the  young  noble. 

"  Hush,  Lester,  he  must  be  aided.  Mark,  drop 
the  bird,  or  he  will  throw  you  off.  How  could  you 
be  so  foolish  as  to  adventure  your  life  for  that  fierce 
hawk !" 

"There  is  humble  gallantry  at  the  bottom  of 
it,  I  dare  swear,"  said  Lester,  with  a  tone  in  which 
there  was  a  slight  shade  of  scorn. 

"  Perhaps  there  may  be  !"  was  the  quiet  reply 
of  the  maiden.  "  Mark,  let  the  bird  go,  I  command 
you.  If  your  life  is  sacrificed,  I  shall  feel  that  I  am 
the  cause  of  it." 

"  By  the  bow  of  Dan  Cupid !  I  would  change 
places  with  the  serf  to  have  my  situation  create 
such  an  interest  in  your  breast,  fair  lady."  This 
was  spoken,  partly  with  sincere  feeling,  partly  with 
derision,  by  the  haughty  Lester. 

The  full,  dark  gaze  of  Kate  Bellamont  encoun 
tered  his  ;  and  with  a  manner  that  eloquently  con 
veyed  the  feeling  of  contempt  that  sprang  up  in  her 
heart,  she  said, 

"  Robert  Lester  must  have  fallen  low  in  his  own 
self-esteem  to  be  jealous  of  a  fisher's  lad !" 

The  young  noble,  with  all  his  native  haughti 
ness  and  pride  of  spirit,  possessed  a  generous  nature, 
and  was  ever  ready  to  atone  for  the  wounds  which 
his  wayward  temper  might  have  caused  him  una 
wares  to  inflict.  Especially  was  this  the  case  where 
Kate  Bellamont  was  the  party  interested.  With 
an  instantaneous  change  peculiar  to  hasty  spirits, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  47 

he  sought  pardon  of  the  offended  maiden  with  his 
eyes,  and  at  once  appeared  so  different,  that  she 
saw  that  she  could  fully  rely  on  him  ;  plainly  read 
ing  in  his  face,  with  unerring  feminine  tact,  that  he 
nobly  had  resolved  to  banish  every  feeling  but  the 
humane  one  the  occasion  demanded. 

"  Lester,  he  will  not  release  the  bird  for  which 
he  has  perilled  so  much,"  she  said,  with  frank  con 
fidence  in  her  tones,  "  and  we  must  devise  some 
means  to  save  both  him  and  his  prize.  Haste  to 
the  castle,  and  get  a  rope  to  save  your  comrade  !" 
she  cried  to  the  remaining  fisherman. 

"  I  will  save  him  with  my  life  !"  said  the  young 
noble.  "  How  many  bows  have  we  here  ?" 

UA  dozen,"  said  Kate,  at  once  comprehending 
the  object  of  his  inquiry.  "  But  are  they  strong 
enough,  Robert  ?" 

."To  bear  the  weight  of  three  men.     Aid  me, 
Kate,  in  making  a  chain  of  them." 

In  a  few  seconds  they  had  prepared  a  rope  or 
chain  nearly  threescore  feet  in  length,  of  bows 
strung  together,  each  link  being  five  feet  long. 
Firmly  securing  one  end  to  the  top  of  the  precipice 
by  carrying  it  over  an  upright  limb,  they  success 
fully  tested  the  strength  of  the  whole  by  extending 
it  along  the  lawn,  half  a  dozen  drawing  on  it  at 
once  without  breaking  it. 

"  This  will  do,"  he  said  with  confidence,  ap 
proaching  the  cliff  to  let  it  down ;  but,  to  his  sur 
prise,  he  saw  that  the  youth  no  longer  retained 
the  bird,  which,  notwithstanding  the  command  of 
the  maiden,  he  had  hitherto  seemed  resolved,  as 
Lester  had  hinted,  to  preserve,  at  the  peril  of  his 
life. 

While  these  preparations  had  been  making  on 
the  cliff,  the  hawk,  not  being  any  longer  able  to 
reach  the  young  fisher's  body  with  his  talons,  began 


48  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

to  strike  and  lacerate  his  wrists.  Finding  at  length 
that  his  strength  was  unequal  to  the  effort  of  strangu 
lation  (his  intention  having  been,  if  he  could_have 
killed  him,  to  have  lashed  him  to  his  back,  and  so 
ascended  with  him),  and  satisfied  that,  while  holding 
him  in  his  hand  alive,  he  could  not  reascend,  he  re 
luctantly  had  been  compelled  by  a  severe  wound 
in  the  hand  to  let  him  go.  In  his  fall  the  bird 
struck  heavily  against  the  root  of  the  tree,  and, 
bounding  off,  descended  twenty  feet  lower,  when 
the  point  of  the  arrow,  which  passed  through  him 
like  a  spit,  caught  in  a  cleft  and  firmly  held  him  on 
the  little  shelf  before  described,  which  projected 
from  the  brow  that  beetled  over  the  sea  at  the  height 
of  seventy  feet  from  it.  The  youth  watched  him 
a  few  moments  steadily,  and  saw  that  he  moved 
neither  wing  nor  talon.  He  was  dead  ! 

When  the  intrepid  lad  saw  him  arrested  in  this 
manner,  and  that  life  was  now  extinct,  the  cloud  of 
regret  that  began  to  darken  his  face  was  all  at  once 
chased  away  by  a  sunbeam  of  pleasure ;  for  he  dis 
covered,  as  he  followed  the  bird's  course  with  his 
eye,  that  the  cleft  in  which  he  was  caught  com 
menced  at  the  very  foot  of  the  tree,  and  offered  him 
the  same  perilous  facilities  of  descent  that  the  zig 
zag  one  above  had  afforded.  When  Lester  looked 
over  the  cliff  preparatory  to  letting  down  the  chain 
of  bows,  he  beheld  him,  therefore,  to  his  astonish 
ment,  in  the  act  of  swinging  himself  from  the  hori 
zontal  limb,  and  the  next  moment  clinging  about 
the  trunk  below  it.  Before  either  Kate  or  he  could 
speak  to  warn  him,  so  sudden  was  their  surprise,  the 
daring  youth  had  effected  a  cautious  and  rapid  de 
scent  of  the  tree,  and  was  standing  safely  at  its 
roots :  on  casting  their  eyes  farther  below,  they 
discerned,  hanging  over  the  very  verge  of  the  brow, 
midway  the  precioice,  the  lifeless  ger- falcon,  which 


THE   WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  49 

instantly  accounted 4o  them  for  this  new  and  unex 
pected  movement. 

"  His  blood  be  upon  his  own  head !"  cried  the 
maiden,  shrinking  from  the  sight.  "  Lester,  look  ! 
Is  he  not  attempting  to  reach  the  bird  ?  Or  perhaps 
he  finds  that  he  cannot  climb  the  precipice  again, 
and  is  trying  to  descend  to  the  water  !" 

"It  is  a  long  step  of  seventy  feet  from  where 
that  bird  hangs  to  the  bottom,"  said  the  old  fisher 
man,  for  an  instant  rousing  himself.  "  He  will 
die,  lady,  and  I  shall  have  to  convey  his  mangled 
corpse  in  my  skiif  to  my  lonely  hut,  and  dig  for 
the  poor  boy  a  grave  in  the  sand.  I  loved  him  as 
if  he  had  been  my  own  flesh  and  blood  !" 

Kate  was  about  to  ask  him,  with  surprise,  if  he 
were  not  his  own  son,  when  a  cry  of  alarm  caused 
her  to  turn  round  just  in  time  to  see  Lord  Robert 
commit  himself  fearlessly  to  the  chain  of  bows  and 
swing  himself  over  the  dizzy  verge.  As  he  de 
scended  from  her  sight,  with  a  smile  on  his  lip  and 
a  devotion  of  the  eyes  as  he  met  hers,  that  told  her, 
plainer  than  words  could  convey  it,  that  he  ventured 
his  life  for  her  sake  prompted  by  his  sympathy 
with  the  interest  she  took  in  the  daring  fisher's  boy, 
he  said  resolutely, 

"  I  will  save  him  in  spite  of  himself,  or  share  his 
fate  !" 

She  was  about  to  speak,  but  her  voice  failed  her ; 
and  covering  her  eyes  to  hide  him,  as  he  hung  sus 
pended  above  the  sea,  from  her  swimming  sight, 
for  a  few  seconds  she  appeared  as  if  her  presence 
of  mind  had  deserted  her.  This  weakness,  if  an 
emotion  so  natural  can  be  termed  such,  was  but 
momentary.  Recovering  herself  by  a  strong  men 
tal  effort,  she  once  more  looked  over  the  cliff,  and 
calmly  watched  the  descent  of  the  daring  Lester, 
whom  she  knew  to  be  a  skilful  cragsman,  with  a 

VOL.  I.— E 


50  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

prayer  on  her  lip  for  his  safety.  The  novel  chain 
by  which  he  descended  reached  to  within  ten  feet  of 
the  spot  where  the  young  fisherman  stood,  and  the 
intention  of  Lord  Robert  was  to  take  the  tree,  and 
reach  the  roots  of  it  as  the  other  had  done  before 
him.  He  had  accomplished,  however,  but  a  few 
feet  of  his  passage  down  the  rock,  not  without  great 
peril,  though  at  each  junction  of  the  bows  he  found 
a  resting-place  for  his  feet  and  a  hold  for  his  hands, 
when  the  young  fisher's  lad  lowered  himself  from 
his  shelf,  and,  getting  his  fingers  in  the  cleft,  began 
to  descend,  alternately  supporting  his  weight  by  his 
arms,  with  a  celerity  and  apparent  recklessness  that, 
to  the  spectators  above,  was  fearful  to  witness  :  he, 
however,  took  a  firm  grasp  of  the  rock  each  time, 
and  with  a  cool  head  and  steady  eye,  gained  the 
spur  where  the  hawk  was  fixed.  In  the  mean  while 
Lord  Robert  had  reached  the  tree  ;  and  leaving  the 
chain  swinging  in  the  air,  he  clasped  the  trunk,  and 
quickly  descended  it :  but  the  object  for  which  he 
had  so  generously  ventured  his  life  was  now  twenty 
feet  below  him.  With  all  his  nerve,  the  fearless 
young  noble  shuddered  when  he  looked  down  and 
beheld  the  means  by  which  the  fisher's  lad  had 
made  his  last  descent.  Both  had  reached  the 
points  at  which  they  aimed  at  the  same  instant ;  and 
when  Lord  Robert  bent  over  to  look  down,  holding 
firmly  by  the  roots  of  the  tree,  the  other  was  stand 
ing  with  perfect  self-possession  on  his  dizzy  foot 
hold,  holding  the  hawk  in  one  hand,  and  waving 
with  the  other  to  those  above. 

"  Do  you  value  your  life  so  lightly,  peasant,  with 
out  saying  anything  of  the  painful  sympathy  your 
folly  produces  in  those  who  are  spectators  of  your 
foolhardiness,  that  you  peril  it  after  this  fashion  ?" 
said  the  young  noble,  passionately,  yet  unable  to 
refuse  the  admiration  due  to  his  fearless  character. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  51 

"I  am  not  your  serf,  Lord  Robert  of  Castle 
More,  that  my  life  should  be  of  value  in  your  eyes," 
said  the  youth,  with  a  look  and  bearing  as  haughty 
as  the  young  noble's. 

"  Ha  !"  exclaimed  Lord  Robert,  with  astonish 
ment  and  anger ;  "  these  are  brave  words  to  come 
from  beneath  a  homespun  jerkin.  By  the  cross  of 
St.  Peter  !  fisherman,  thou  dost  presume  too  much 
upon  that  equality  to  which  mutual  danger  has  for 
the  moment  brought  us.  I  have  periled  my  life  to 
assist  ihee — not  by  mine  own  will,  by  Heaven  !  for 
thou  deserves!  to  be  rewarded  for  thy  temerity  by 
a  bath  in  the  sea ;  but  at  the  bidding  of  a  lady,  who, 
perforce,  thinks,  if  thou  shouldst,  by  any  lucky 
chance,  break  thy  neck  for  the  hawk  her  arrow  has 
sent  over  the  cliff,  thy  blood  will  be  on  her  head. 
So  I  have  explained  to  thee  the  heighth  and  depth 
of  my  charity,  lest  thou  shouldst  swell  still  bigger 
to  think  that,  peasant  as  thou  art,  thou  hast  made  a 
noble  thy  servant." 

"A  very  proper  speech,  I  have  no  doubt,  Lord 
Robert  More,"  answered  the  fisherman,  with  a  quiet 
smile  of  superiority  (as  the  noble  construed  it).  "  I 
need  none  of  your  lordship's  aid.  Without  it  I 
came  down,  and  without  it  I  can  go  up  again." 

"  The  devil  have  thee,  then,  for  thy  obstinacy," 
cried  Lester,  his  eyes  flashing  with  anger;  "by 
the  rood,  if  I  had  thee  there,  I  would  be  of  a  mind 
to  help  thee  down  rather  than  up." 

"  The  path  by  which  I  came  is  equally  open  to 
your  lordship,"  was  the  cool  answer.  "Robert 
More,  thrice  have  I  saved  your  life  ;  and  though  you 
have  thanked  me  like  a  noble  for  the  deed  at  the 
time,  have  after  cancelled  it  by  treating  me  like 
a  slave,  because  the  accident  of  birth  has  made 
you  noble  and  me  base.  Leave  me  again.  I  will 


52  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

not  owe  my  life  to  your  lordship  !"  This  was  said 
in  a  steady  and  determined,  but  very  quiet  tone. 

"  My  good  Meredith,  I  will  forgive  thy  rudeness 
of  speech,  for  thou  hast  had  offence,"  said  the  young 
man,  struck  with  his  proud  and  independent  char 
acter,  so  nearly  akin  to  his  own.  "  The  haughtiness 
with  which  I  have  treated  thee  is  one  of  the  conse 
quences  of  this  accident  of  birth.  Believe  me,  I 
have  never  forgotten  what  I  owe  to  thy  courage  : 
once  saved  from  drowning  by  thee  !  once  snatched 
from  a  peril  almost  equal  to  that  thou  art  now  in ! 
once  preserved  from  death  beneath  the  antlers  of  an 
enraged  stag !  I  have  not  forgotten  these  debts, 
thou  seest.  If  I  have  seemed  to  thee  ungrateful,  set 
it  down,  brave  Mark,  to  pride  of  birth  rather  than 
want  of  feeling.  Shall  I  aid  thee,  lad,  in  gaining 
the  top  ?" 

"  Lord  Robert,  your  words  have  atoned  for  the 
past,"  said  the  young  fisherman,  not  unmoved  by 
this  generous  and  manly  defence  of  the  proud 
young  noble ;  "  nevertheless,  I  will  not  owe  my  life 
to  you  P 

The  noble  fastened  his  penetrating  gaze  on  the 
upturned  face  of  the  young  fisherman,  and  thought 
he  discovered  a  meaning  there  that  was  a  key  to 
his  refusal. 

"  Ha!  I  have  it !"  he  said,  internally,  after  a  few 
moments'  reflection.  "  He  dares  to  place  his 
thoughts  on  her  /" 

Instantly,  with  that  lightning-like  rapidity  with 
which  his  impulsive  feelings  changed,  he  shouted 
in  a  loud,  haughty  tone  of  voice, 

"  Ho,  Sir  Peasant !  prithee  tell  me  what  strange 
fondness  for  dead  hawks  set  thee  to  jeoparding  thy 
life  after  this  sort  ?" 

"  Lester,"  cried  Kate  Bellamont  from  the  summit 
of  the  cliff,  hearing  their  voices  without  under- 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  53 

standing  the  words,  "  why  this  delay  ?     Can  there 
be  no  means  of  reaching  the  noble  youth  ?" 

"  Noble  youth  !"  repeated  the  young  man,  scorn 
fully,  to  himself ;  "  it  will  be  a  princely  next.  By 
the  cross  !  If  he  does  not  smile  and  wave  his  daring 
hand  to  her !  And  she  answers  it  back  !  Fel 
low  !"  he  added,  fiercely,  "  I  will  come  down  and 
hurl  thee  into  the  sea !" 

"  You  are  welcome,  Lord  Robert,"  replied  the 
other,  unmoved  ;  "  yet,  as  there  is  barely  room  for 
me,  it  is  certain  that,  if  you  do  descend,  one  of  us 
only  can  remain  upon  it." 

The  impetuous  Lester  was  already  preparing  to 
descend  by  the  crevice ;  but  the  coolness  of  the 
other  at  once  disarmed  his  anger. 

"  Thou  art  a  brave  fellow,  Mark,  and  I  would 
not  injure  thee.  But,"  he  added,  sternly,  "  see  that 
thou  cross  not  my  path  !" 

"  How  mean  you,  Lord  Robert  ?"  he  inquired, 
concealing  his  penetration  of  the  lover's  motives 
under  a  look  of  simplicity  that  embarrassed  the 
haughty  and  sensitive  noble. 

Before  he  could  reply,  the  voice  of  the  Countess 
of  Bellamont,  encouraging  them  both,  was  heard 
from  the  summit.  She  only  had  this  instant  ar 
rived,  drawn  hither  by  the  rumour  of  the  danger  of 
the  fisher's  lad,  accompanied  by  Dermot,  and  one 
or  two  men-servants,  with  ropes  and  other  means  of 
assisting  those  below. 

Her  first  proceeding,  on  discovering  the  position 
of  the  parties,  was  to  attach  the  rope  to  the  chain  of 
bows,  and  have  the  end  of  it  firmly  tied  to  the  tree. 
She  then  bade  the  men  to  lower  it  steadily  till  it 
could  be  reached  by  Lord  Robert,  and  in  a  few 
seconds  he  held  it  in  his  grasp. 

"  Now,  Sir  Peasant,"  said  Lester,  relaxing  into 
E2 


54  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;   OR, 

his  former  haughty  mood,  "  here  is  the  means  of 
reascending  the  cliff." 

"  You  may  profit  by  it,  my  lord,  I  will  not,"  said 
the  youth,  firmly.  "I  will  receive  no  favour  at 
your  hands." 

"  Then,  by  Heaven,  thou  shall  ascend,  whether 
thou  wilt  or  no,"  said  the  noble,  with  energy.  "  I 
have  pledged  my  word  to  save  thee,  and  I  will  re 
deem  my  pledge.  Ho !  there  above !  Drop  a 
piece  of  cord  a  few  yards  in  length,  so  that  it  will 
fall  at  my  feet." 

The  coil  was  placed  by  Kate  Bellamont  on  the 
rope,  and  the  next  moment,  sliding  down  like  a  ring 
along  the  chain  of  bows,  it  was  caught  in  his 
hand. 

"  Let  out  twenty  feet  more  of  the  rope,"  he 
again  shouted,  "  and  see  that  it  is  well  fast  above." 

As  it  passed  through  his  hands,  he  conducted  it 
over  the  shelf  on  which  he  stood  till  it  touched  the 
feet  of  the  young  fisherman.  He  had  quietly 
watched  these  preparations,  and,  as  they  were  com 
pleted,  he  coolly  glanced  into  the  depth  beneath,  and 
then  upward  to  the  young  noble,  with  an  air  so  reso 
lute  that  the  other  paused  ere  he  descended  by  the 
chain,  on  a  link  of  which  one  foot  already  rested. 

"  Surely  thou  wilt  not  be  so  mad  !"  exclaimed 
Lester,  reading  a  fatal  determination  in  his  lofty 
and  intrepid  look. 

"  Robert  More,  I  will  owe  you  no  favour.  Rather 
than  be  beholden  to  you  for  my  life,  I  will  fling  it 
away,  as  freely  as  I  have  now  hazarded  it  to  win  a 
smile  from  the  fair  maiden  of  Castle  Cor." 

"  THOU  !  By  Heaven,  I  thought  it !"  he  shouted, 
with  scorn  and  indignation.  "  If  I  had  thee  on  a 
piece  of  ground  two  feet  square  that  would  hold  us 
both,  I  would  waive  my  birth,  and  do  battle  with 
thee  on  that  score,  hind  as  thou  art !  and  see  if  I 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  55 

could  not  beat  out  of  thy  bones  this  leaven  of  inso 
lence  !  I  will  now  assuredly  aid  thy  return  to  the 
summit,  that  I  may  have  the  pleasure  afterward  of 
doing  for  thee  this  good  service." 

As  Lester  spoke,  he  committed  himself  with 
cool  intrepidity  to  the  chain,  holding  in  one  hand 
the  coil  of  line,  by  which  it  was  evidently  his  in 
tention  to  lash  the  young  fisherman  to  the  rope,  and 
began  rapidly  to  descend. 

"  Robert  More,  I  do  not  fear  to  meet  you  on  any 
ground.  If  I  did,  I  should  hardly  take  this  leap  to 
avoid  the  lesson  you  have  in  contemplation  for  me  ! 
But  I  will  owe  you  no  favour,  not  even  that  of  life. 
Nor  shall  you  lay  a  finger  upon  me  to  force  me  to 
do  your  pleasure  in  this  thing.  Hold  !  place  your 
foot  on  the  nock  of  this  second  bow  above  me,  and 
I  will  take  a  free  spring  out  into  the  air." 

This  was  said  in  a  tone  and  manner — a  steady 
uplighting  of  his  clear  dark  eyes,  and  a  firm,  mus 
cular  compression  of  the  lip — that  made  the  other 
hesitate  ;  but  it  was  only  for  an  instant :  the  next 
moment  he  let  the  bow  to  which  he  held  slip 
through  his  hands,  and  he  descended  with  velocity 
till  his  foot  struck  upon  the  last  link,  which  was  on 
a  level  with  the  young  fisherman's  head.  At  the 
same  moment  the  latter  elevated  his  arms  high  above 
his  head,  holding  the  hawk  between  his  hands,  and 
placing  his  feet  close  together,  made  a  spring  into 
the  air ! 

Lester,  with  a  full  knowledge  of  his  cool  and  res 
olute  character,  had  not  anticipated  this  result; 
and,  in  his  surprise,  had  nearly  let  go  his  hold.  He 
at  the  same  time  uttered  a  cry  of  horror,  which 
was  answered  from  the  summit  by  a  loud  wail  of 
anguish  from  many  voices ;  for  this  act  had  been 
witnessed  by  all,  without  the  cause  which  influ 
enced  it  being  apparent.  Preserving  the  erect  at- 


56  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

titude  with  which  he  had  left  the  rock,  the  young 
fisherman  descended  like  lightning,  cut  the  still 
bosom  of  the  black  wave  beneath,  and  disappeared 
below  the  agitated  surface ;  the  heavy,  splashing 
sound  of  his  fall  striking  on  the  ears  of  those  on 
the  summit  of  the  cliff  like  his  death-knell.  Wild 
and  full  of  mortal  anguish  was  the  shriek  that  echoed 
it! 

A  flush  of  hope  lighted  up  the  countenance  of 
Lester  when  he  saw  the  accuracy  with  which  he 
had  struck  the  surface,  and  thought  upon  the  man 
ner  of  his  descent.  At  the  same  time  Kate  Bella- 
mont,  who  had  been  an  interested  but  puzzled  spec 
tator  (for  their  voices,  at  the  height  she  stood,  had 
not  distinctly  reached  her)  of  the  previous  conduct 
of  the  parties,  and  had  beheld  with  horror  the  seem 
ingly  fatal  act  of  the  adventurous  youth,  also  mark 
ed  the  natatory  art  with  which  he  had  taken  the 
spring ;  and,  scarcely  hoping,  watched,  equally  with 
Lester,  the  circling  waves,  as  they  widened  from 
the  centre,  with  an  intensity  amounting  to  agony. 

After  an  interval  of  full  thirty  seconds,  which 
seemed  an  age  to  those  who  watched,  the  water, 
which  had  once  more  become  nearly  smooth,  was 
seen  to  part  many  yards  from  the  point  of  descent, 
and  the  head  of  the  daring  youth  appeared  above 
the  surface.  A  shout,  loud  and  long,  greeted  him 
from  the  cliff;  and  no  voice  was  louder  or  more  glad 
in  the  joyful  welcome  than  Lord  Robert's.  With 
the  hawk  elevated  in  one  hand,  and  buffeting  the 
waves  with  the  other,  he  swam  bravely  towards  a 
belt  of  sand  a  few  yards  farther  northward  ;  and  in 
a  few  moments  afterward  he  safely  landed,  full  in 
sight  of  those  standing  anxiously  on  the  cliff.  Point 
ing  to  his  prize,  and  waving  his  hand  to  Kate  Bella- 
mont  with  native  gallantry,  he  disappeared  around 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE   SEA.  57 

an  angle  of  the  shore,  to  reascend,  by  a  beaten  and 
easy  path,  to  the  summit  of  the  promontory. 

In  the  mean  time  Lord  Robert  became  an  object 
of  renewed  interest  to  the  party.  He  was  sixty 
feet  from  the  top  of  the  cliff,  with  no  other  means 
of  reaching  it  than  the  precarious  chain  of  bows  and 
a  few  additional  feet  of  rope  :  even  the  permanent 
safety  of  this  was  doubtful.  It  depended  solely  for 
its  strength  on  the  goodness  of  the  yews  and  the 
entire  soundness  of  the  slender  bow-strings ;  and 
one  of  these  he  discovered,  on  running  his  eyes 
upward,  was  chafed  by  some  sharp  point  of  the 
rock  with  which  it  had  come  in  contact.  There 
remained,  however,  no  alternative.  It  was  plain 
that  he  must  either  trust  himself  to  it,  or  follow  the 
example  of  the  young  fisherman,  and  take  the  leap 
into  the  sea.  For  a  moment  he  gazed  down  into 
the  water,  and  seemed  to  measure  with  deliberate 
purpose  the  empty  void  between  ;  but,  shaking  his 
head  with  doubt,  he  once  more  turned  his  attention  to 
the  equally  dangerous,  but  more  probable,  means  of 
escape.  The  catgut  which  had  stranded  belonged 
to  the  third  bow  above  him.  Drawing  hard  upon 
it  with  his  whole  weight,  he  saw  that  it  was  slowly 
untwisting,  and  that  it  would  be  madness  to  trust 
himself  to  it.  His  self-possession,  however,  did 
not  desert  him. 

"  Can  you  obtain  no  stout  rope  that  will  reach 
me  here,  '  wild  Kate  ?' "  he  said,  in  a  careless  tone  ; 
"  I  fear  the  ragged  points  of  the  rock  will  cut  your 
bow-strings,  and  spoil  them  for  further  shooting." 

"  No,  Lester,  there  is  none !"  answered  the 
maiden,  in  a  deep  voice,  that  betrayed  the  depth 
and  intensity  of  her  feelings  at  this  crisis  ;  "  men 
have  been  sent  to  the  cove  for  ropes,  but  it  is  far, 
and  it  will  be  long  before  they  return,  even  if  they 
succeed  in  getting  them.  God  protect  you  !  Pre- 


58  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

serve  your  coolness,  for  my  sake,  Robert !"  she  ad 
ded,  with  that  force  and  truth  that  spurned,  at  such 
a  moment,  all  disguise. 

Her  words  seemed  to  have  awakened  anew 
the  spirit  within  him.  Placing  his  hand  on  his 
heart,  he  carried  it  to  his  lips,  and  gallantly  waved 
it  towards  her.  She  answered  it  encouragingly  in 
return  ;  but  instantly  turning  away  overcome  by  her 
feelings,  cast  herself  on  the  bosom  of  her  mother, 
and  burst  into  tears. 

Necessarily  ignorant  of  this  touching  testimony 
of  her  attachment  to  him,  which  his  imminent  dan 
ger  now  forbade  her  to  disguise  longer  under  a 
mask  of  badinage,  Lester  concentrated  all  his  en 
ergies  to  the  task  before  him.  He  felt  that  before 
the  lapse  of  one  or  two  hours,  which  it  would  re 
quire  to  get  ropes  from  the  cove  which  was  more 
than  a  league  distant,  the  inconvenience  of  his  po 
sition  would  have  left  him  with  little  strength  to 
climb  the  cliff,  even  with  the  assistance  that  might 
then  be  rendered.  He  was  now  in  the  full  pos 
session  of  his  physical  and  mental  energies,  and 
resolved,  without  longer  delay,  to  avail  himself  of 
them.  Taking  the  cord,  which  he  had  demanded 
for  a  very  different  intention,  he  fastened  one  end 
around  his  wrist ;  then  leaning  backward  from  the 
rock,  sustaining  himself  by  the  grasp  of  one  hand 
on  the  chain,  he  threw  it  upward  with  such  accu 
rate  aim  that  it  passed  through  the  bow  next  above 
the  one  with  the  stranded  string,  and  fell  down 
within  his  reach.  He  then  loosened  it  from  his 
wrist,  firmly  secured  the  ends  to  the  lower  bow  on 
which  he  was  sustained,  and  so  made  the  cord  sup 
ply  the  place  of  the  weak  bow-string,  and  bear  the 
whole  strain.  This  done,  he  prepared  to  ascend 
the  smooth  face  of  the  rock  twenty  feet  to  the  foot 
of  the  tree,  Grasping  the  cord  with  both  hands,  he 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  59 

braced  himself  in  a  horizontal  position,  one  of  most 
imminent  hazard  which  demanded  all  the  cool 
ness,  self-possession  arid  physical  strength  he  was 
possessed  of,  and  began  literally  to  walk  up  the 
perpendicular  side  of  the  precipice.  The  stranding 
of  a  string ;  a  sudden  strain  upon  the  tensely  bent 
bows ;  the  least  deviation  from  the  horizontal, 
would  have  been  instantly  fatal !  Coolly,  slowly, 
steadily,  lifting  himself,  step  by  step,  hand  after 
hand,  he  at  last  got  to  a  level  with  the  tree,  firmly 
grasped  one  of  its  roots,  and  by  its  aid  sprung 
lightly  upon  the  shelf  on  which  it  grew. 

His  preparations  had  been  watched,  and  it  was 
told  Kate  Bellamont  that  he  was  preparing  to  as 
cend.  But  the  maiden  had  yielded  her  full  heart 
to  her  woman's  nature  ;  and  while  he  was  making 
the  perilous  ascent,  with  her  head  lifted  from  her 
mother's  bosom,  and  with  tearful  eyes  and  clasped 
hands,  she  was  looking  heavenward,  breathing  a 
silent  prayer  for  his  safety.  A  shout  of  joy  an 
nounced  to  her  his  success !  Once  more  she 
dropped  her  face  and  wept  with  joy.  Lady  Bel 
lamont,  who  felt  that  all  had  been  done  that  cir 
cumstances  admitted  of,  refrained  from  watching 
his  perilous  feat ;  and,  while  she  solaced  her  daugh 
ter,  calmly  directed  Cormac  the  forester  to  steady 
the  rope,  and  keep  it  from  rubbing  against  the  rocks. 

Quitting  the  chain,  Lester  now  ascended  the  tree 
to  the  transverse  branch,  which  he  had  scarcely 
reached  when  a  loud  crack  at  the  root  warned  him 
that  the  scathed  solitary  of  the  cliff,  unused  to  such 
repeated  trials,  was  giving  way  under  his  weight. 
Hardly  had  he  time  to  throw  himself  upon  the 
chain,  and  hang  by  a  bowstring  with  one  hand, 
when  a  series  of  loud  reports  rapidly  followed  each 
other  as  one  after  another  the  roots  snapped ;  the 
top  of  the  tree  waved  wildly  to  and  fro,  and  t^en 


60  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

the  huge  trunk  plunged,  crashing  and  roaring,  into 
the  flood  beneath.  For  an  instant  afterward  the 
appalled  Lester  continued  to  cling  to  the  fragile 
chain  with  nervous  solicitude ;  but  at  length  as 
sured  that  he  was  not  to  be  carried  along  with  it 
into  the  frightful  gulf,  he  prepared  to  continue,  by 
the  same  process  of  horizontal  walking  he  had 
hitherto  adopted,  his  upward  progress  to  the  next 
shelf,  six  feet  above  him,  and  with  which  the  top  of 
the  tree  had  been  on  a  level. 

The  effect  of  the  fall  of  the  tree  on  those  so 
deeply  interested  above  can  scarcely  be  imagined. 
Lady  Bellamont  answered  the  heavy  crash  by  a 
wild  shriek,  echoed  by  all  around  save  Kate.  With 
her  the  dreadful  suspense  and  anxiety  were  now 
lost  in  the  certainty  of  his  fate.  She  calmly  raised 
her  head,  approached  the  cliff  with  a  firm  step, 
and  looked  steadily  down,  not  with  hope,  but  with 
a  settled  gaze  of  despair,  as  if  she  would  take  a 
last  look  at  his  grave,  and  for  ever  impress  upon 
her  heart's  tablet  his  sea-covered  tomb.  It  was 
at  this  moment  of  her  soul's  anguish  she  confessed 
within  her  own  heart  that,  notwithstanding  the 
lightness  with  which  she  might  have  attempted  to 
disguise  it,  she  loved  him  with  all  the  fervour  and 
devotedness  of  a  first  passion.  Approaching  the 
verge  with  such  feelings,  her  surprise  was  only 
equalled  by  her  joy  when  she  saw  him  in  the  act 
of  climbing  on  the  shelf  above  described.  A  joyful 
cry  escaped  her ;  and  the  bold  youth,  looking  up, 
acknowledged  her  presence  with  a  proud  smile  and 
wave  of  his  hand.  From  this  moment  Kate  Bel 
lamont  was  herself  again.  He  was  safe  !  The 
change  from  grief  to  joy  in  her  countenance  was 
slectrical !  and  she  prepared  to  watch  and  aid  his 
ascent  with  all  the  coolness  and  energy  she  was 
possessed  of. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  61 

He  had  accomplished  thus  far  his  arduous  task 
in  comparative  safety  ;  and  as  he  had  now  but  twen 
ty  feet  more  to  ascend,  she  looked  with  confidence 
to  its  successful  accomplishment.  This  space, 
however,  save  a  shelf  within  eight  feet  of  the  top 
on  which  the  young  fisherman  had  alighted,  and  the 
zigzag  crevice  by  which  he  had  descended  the  re 
maining  twelve  feet,  was  steep  as  a  wall,  and  as 
difficult  of  ascent.  The  young  man,  after  having 
hitherto  passed  through  such  trying  scenes,  was 
not  now  to  be  daunted  by  any  obstacles,  of  what 
ever  magnitude,  that  opposed  his  farther  progress. 
Nerving  himself  to  the  effort,  he  grasped  the  rope, 
which  here  had  taken  the  place  of  the  chain  of 
bows,  and  extended  himself,  as  before,  into  a  hori 
zontal  position,  meeting  and  returning  with  a  smile, 
as  he  did  so,  her  look  of  solicitude.  As  he  slowly 
and  laboriously  ascended,  she  inspired  the  men  to 
their  task  of  keeping  the  rope  from  the  cliff,  often 
assisting  them  with  her  own  ringers,  till  at  length 
she  was  rewarded  by  seeing  him  safely  reach  the 
shelf,  and  stand  within  eight  feet  of  the  summit. 
By  her  direction  the  men  now  bent  the  projecting 
branch  of  the  tree  until  it  was  within  his  reach ; 
when,  aided  by  one  hand  placed  on  the  rope,  he 
lightly  climbed  the  limb, -and  with  a  spring  stood 
in  safety  on  the  top  of  the  cliff. 

Kate,  who  had  scarcely  breathed  as  she  watch 
ed  this  final  effort,  guided  by  the  impulse  of  the 
moment,  flung  herself  at  once,  grateful,  happy, 
weeping,  into  his  arms !  —  so  certain  it  is  that 
true  love  will  out,  give  it  occasion  to  speak  for  it 
self  !  And  what  fitter  one  than  this  ?  At  such  a 
time,  love  is  both  deaf  and  blind.  It  sees,  hears, 
knows  no  voice  but  its  own ;  is  indifferent  to  the 
opinions  of  a  world  of  witnesses,  and,  setting  aside 
all  canons  of  propriety  and  discretion,  abandons  it- 

VOL.  I.— F 


62  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR,       T 

self  to  the  impulses  of  its  ardent  nature.  Such  was 
the  love  of  Kate  Bellamont. 

But  love,  like  all  other  emotions,  is  but  short 
lived  in  its  excess.  The  temporary  excitement 
passes  away ;  reflection  follows ;  notions  of  pro 
priety  return ;  and  the  conscious  victim,  blushing, 
mortified,  angry  with  shame,  feels  that  there  is  a 
world  of  witnesses  to  whose  canons  she  is  amena 
ble,  and  shrinks  at  the  judgment  that  will  be  passed 
on  her  outrage  of  its  received  notions  of  maidenly 
propriety.  Such,  the  next  moment  after  abandon 
ing  herself  to  the  first  wild  gush  of  joy  at  his  es 
cape,  were  the  thoughts  that  rushed  thick  on  the 
mind  of  the  proud  and  sensitive  maiden.  She 
sprang  away  from  him  ;  hid  her  face  in  her  hands  ; 
and,  for  the  moment,  scarcely  knew  whether  her 
wounded  feelings  would  have  vent  in  tears  or  laugh 
ter.  True  to  her  character  as  "  Wild  Kate  of  Cas 
tle  Cor,"  the  latter  prevailed ;  and,  exposing  her 
face,  she  broke  into  a  fit  of  merry  laughter,  which 
was  caught  up  and  continued,  with  many  a  lively 
witticism,  by  those  around,  who,  the  moment  be 
fore,  were  sad  and  gloomy  under  the  pressure  of 
fatal  forebodings :  for  so  wonderfully,  yet  wisely, 
is  the  human  heart  constituted,  that  smiles  never 
come  so  readily,  and  are  never  so  bright,  as  when 
heralded  by  tears. 

The  gratified  Lester  was  too  happy  to  receive 
such  an  ingenuous,  impulsive  token  of  her  love, 
and  of  its  deep,  womanly  sincerity,  to  feel  hurt  at 
this  change  in  her  manner,  which  his  good  sense 
enabled  him  to  refer  to  its  true  cause.  With  deep 
and  silent  pleasure,  he  felt  that  that  moment  had 
fully  repaid  him  for  all  he  had  risked. 

Grace  Fitzgerald,  who  had  been  by  no  means  an 
indifferent  spectator  of  his  hazardous  adventure. 


THE   WIZARD    OP    THE    SEA.  63 

now  advanced,  grasped  his  hand  with  great  warmth, 
and  congratulated  him  on  his  safety. 

"  You  need  not  look  so  very  fond,  Sir  Crags 
man,"  she  said,  gayly ;  "  I  am  not  about  to  follow 
the  example  cousin  Kate  has  so  generously  set  for 
us.  Oh  no !  What  with  your  exploit  and  Kate's 
folly,  you  will  be  completely  spoiled  for  me  !  I 
dare  say  you  would  go  down  that  horrid  place 
again  for  another  such  hug  as  my  cousin  Kate  gave 
you.  Really,  I  am  shocked !" 

"  I  will  go  down  and  take  the  leap  off  into  the  sea 
for  a  similar  reception  from  Grace  Fitzgerald," 
said  Lester,  with  an  air  of  gallantry. 

"  And  do  you  think  I  would  come  near  such  a 
dripping  monster  as  you  would  make  of  yourself? 
No,  no,  I  am  no  Nereid  to  fancy  a  man  coming  out 
of  the  sea." 

"  By  which  I  infer,  fair  lady,"  he  said,  archly, 
"  that,  if  I  will  go  down  and  come  up  dry,  you  will 
give  me  such  a  welcome  as — -" 

"  Kate  gave  you  ?  Really,  you  are  quite  spoiled. 
Kate,  come  and  take  care  of  your  beau  cavalier,  for 
he  is  no  longer  fit  for  any  company  but  yours. 
But  here  comes  one  I  will  welcome,  dripping  or 
dry!" 

She  bounded  forward  as  she  spoke,  and  met,  at 
the  head  of  the  path,  the  gallant  fisher's  lad,  who 
just  then  appeared,  on  his  way  up  from  the  water, 
bearing  in  his  hand  the  ger-falcon  which  had  been 
the  cause  of  putting  in  peril  two  human  lives.  He 
was  accompanied  by  the  old  fisherman,  who,  hav 
ing  remained  on  the  summit  of  the  cliff,  paralyzed 
and  inert  through  alarm  and  anxiety  until  assured 
of  his  safety,  had  gone  down  to  the  beach  to  meet 
him  on  his  return.  She  approached  the  young  ad 
venturer  with  one  hand  extended  to  welcome  him, 


64  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

the  forefinger  of  the  other  at  the  same  time  lifted 
with  censure.  / 

"  I  will  shake  hands  with  you,  Mark ;  but  you 
deserve,  handsome  as  you  are,  t<*»have  your  ears 
boxed.  See  what  a  to-do  you  have  been  the  cause 
of;  and  all  for  that  great  black  bird,  which  Kate, 
forsooth,  must  shoot  instead  of  sending  her  arrow 
at  the  target.  Well,  you  are  a  noble  and  gallant 
young  man,  and  I  like  you.  Do  you  hear  that, 
Kate  ?  I  too  have  made  a  declaration  !  Well, 
but  I  won't  embrace  you,  I  think,  for  you  are  too 
wet." 

While  the  lively  girl  was  speaking,  the  rest  of 
the  party,  including  Lord  Robert  and  Kate,  ap 
proached  and  joined  in  welcoming  him. 

"  My  brave  Meredith,"  said  Lester,  frankly  ex 
tending  his  hand,  "you  deserve  a  better  career  than 
that  before  you.  Henceforth  let  us  be  friends." 

The  hand  of  the  young  noble  was  received  with 
out  embarrassment  and  with  a  native  dignity  of 
manner  by  the  humble  youth,  that,  to  all  present, 
atoned  for  his  want  of  high  birth ;  while  he  said, 
with  a  firm  yet  respectful  tone, 

"  We  may  not  be  enemies,  but  we  can  never  be 
friends,  Lord  Robert :  friendship  between  the  high 
and  low  is  but  another  name  for  dependance  to  the 
latter." 

"  I  fear  you  speak  too  truly,  Mark,"  said  Kate, 
who  had  congratulated  him  on  his  escape  with  an 
honest  warmth  and  sincerity  of  manner  that  sent 
the  blood  like  lightning  to  his  brows. 

"  Not  in  my  case,  brave  Mark,"  said  the  noble, 
earnestly  ;  "  I  will  become  your  patron  and — " 

"  And  is  there  patronage  without  dependance,  my 
lord  ?"  he  asked,  in  a  quiet  tone. 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Lester,  colouring,  "  have  it 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  65 

your  own  way.  You  have  pride  enough  for  Lu 
cifer  !" 

"  But  not  enough  for  a  noble,"  said  the  other, 
with  a  very  slight  curl  of  the  lip. 

"  Mark  Meredith,"  said  Kate,  reprovingly,  "  you 
forget  your  station.  A  proper  degree  of  pride  is 
the  secret  of  independence.  Perhaps  you  have  too 
much.  Lord  Robert  is  sincere,  and  means  well 
by  you." 

"  Believe  her,  Mark,"  said  Grace  Fitzgerald, 
with  playful  raillery;  "nobody  ought  to  know  so 
well  what  Lord  Robert  means  as  my  cousin  Kate." 

"  Stop  your  saucy  tongue,  Grace,"  said  the 
maiden,  placing  a  finger  on  her  bright  lips.  "  What 
will  you  now  do,  Mark,  with  this  bird,  that  has  cost 
us,  through  your  thoughtlessness,  so  much  anxiety 
and  suffering?" 

"  And  betrayed  a  secret  that  was  not  quite  a 
secret  before,"  said  the  mischievous  Grace. 

"  Grace,  prithee  hist !"  cried  Kate,  with  a  spice 
of  asperity. 

"  Give  me  the  bird,  peasant !"  said  Lester,  in  a 
tone  of  authority.  "  I  will  nail  it  on  the  door  of  the 
lodge  at  Castle  More,  in  honour  of  the  fair  archer 
who  shot  it." 

"  Here  is  the  gentle  owner,"  replied  the  youth, 
turning  towards  Kate  Bellamont;  and  gracefully 
kneeling  as  he  spoke,  he  gallantly  laid  the  bird 
at  her  feet,  saying, 

"  Gentle  archeress,  deign  to  accept — it  is  the  only 
boon  I  crave  for  my  peril — this  trophy  of  thy  skill. 
I  have  obtained  it  for  thee  at  the  risk  of  life  and 
limb,  valuing  neither,  so  that  I  might  do  thee  a 
service,  and  save  what  I  know  thou  wilt  be  proud 
to  preserve  in  remembrance  of  this  day." 

"  By  the  cross  !  a  forward  youth  !  321  Alfred  in 
disguise,  I  would  swear !"  said  Lester,  haughtily, 


66  CAPTAIN   KYD  J    OR, 

his  quick  spirit  kindling  at  the  scene.  "  He  will 
be  offering  next,  fair  Kate,"  he  added,  scornfully, 
"  to  share  with  th^e  his  palace  of  bark  and  poles, 
and  his  wide  realm  of  sand  and  seashells.  S'death ! 
a  proper  peasant !"  The  young  noble's  eyes  spar 
kled,  and  he  paced  the  sward  with  angry  impa 
tience,  as  he  concluded. 

Kate  Bellamont  was  not  indifferent  to  the  tone, 
manner,  and  language  with  which  the  hawk  was 
presented  by  the  humble  youth.  She  was  flattered 
by  his  well-directed  compliments,  and  pleased,  with 
out  knowing  why,  with  the  deep,  silent  admiration 
with  which  he  regarded  her.  Was  it  the  language 
of  love  ?  His  manner  reminded  her  of  Lester  in 
his  most  impassioned  moments  of  devotion ;  but 
there  was  in  the  fine  face  of  the  young  fisherman 
a  calmer,  sweeter,  more  chastened  expression  ;  a 
reverence  without  humility  ;  devotion  without  awe. 
Was  it  love  ?  She  trembled,  as  she  thought  so,  and 
dared  not  a  second  time  meet  his  dark-beaming 
eyes.  The  peculiar  character  of  the  expression  of 
his  face  was  read  aright  by  none  but  herself  and 
Lester  :  for  only  love  and  jealousy  can  translate  the 
language  of  love.  The  light  blue  eyes  of  the  young 
noble  flashed  fierce  fire  as  he  witnessed  what  he 
deemed  palpable  proof  of  his  suspicions.  His 
glance  turned  rapidly  from  the  face  of  one  to  the 
face  of  the  other.  The  expression  of  his  maddened 
him ;  that  of  hers  troubled  and  puzzled  him ;  and 
he  turned  away,  grinding  his  teeth  with  bitterness : 
for  what  is  there  on  earth  so  bitter  as  jealousy  ? 

The  contrast  between  the  appearance  of  these 
two  haughty  young  men  was  as  great  as  that  ex 
isting  between  their  ranks  in  life.  The  young  no 
ble  was  in  his  eighteenth  year,  tall,  and  firmly  made, 
with  uncommon  breadth  and  expansion  of  chest, 
which  gave  a  striking  appearance  of  compactness 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  67 

and  muscular  finish  to  his  frame,  that  promised,  in 
manhood,  nobleness  of  carriage  as  well  as  great 
personal  strength.  His  complexion  was  fair  as  the 
Saxon's  ;  his  features  regular  as  the  Greek's  ;  but, 
unlike  his,  stamped  with  that  union  of  manly  grace 
and  strength,  and  bold,  fiery  energy,  supposed  to 
be  characteristic  of  the  ancient  Briton.  Over  his 
clear,  high  forehead  fell  locks  of  light  flaxen  hair 
of  rare  beauty,  and  shining  tresses  of  the  same  pale, 
golden  hue  floated  about  his  shoulders.  His  eyes 
were  his  most  remarkable  feature.  They  were 
large  and  blue,  clear  as  light,  and  of  a  beautiful 
shape,  glowing  with  intellect  and  sparkling  with 
animation,  and,  when  undisturbed,  beaming  with  a 
soft  and  gentle  expression  betokening  gayety  of  tem 
per  and  lightness  of  spirit;  but,  when  roused  by 
anger,  they  flashed  fierce  fire,  and  seemed  literally 
to  blaze,  so  bright  was  the  light  they  emitted. 
They  further  possessed  a  striking  peculiarity,  which 
so  marked  his  angered  glance  that  he  who  once 
encountered  it  never  forgot  it  till  his  dying  day. 
This  was  a  habit,  or,  rather,  nature  had  given  it  to 
him,  when  under  the  influence  of  angry  passions, 
of  lowering  his  brows  down  over  his  eyes  in  such 
a  way  as  to  destroy  their  fine,  oval  form,  and  give 
them  a  strange,  triangular  shape ;  and  the  pupil 
of  his  eyes  darkening  at  the  same  time  till  they 
grew  black  as  night,  communicated  to  them  a  sin 
gularly  wild  and  terrible  expression. 

His  lips  were  very  beautiful  both  in  form  and 
colour ;  but  the  upper  wore  a  haughty  curl  that 
marred  the  beauty  of  a  mouth  which  nature  had 
chiselled  with  the  nicest  hand.  He  carried  himself 
at  all  times  with  a  gallant  but  proud  air;  and  his 
demeanour  was  like  that  of  the  highborn  youths  of 
his  time,  taught  to  regard  all  of  low  degree  as 
created  for  their  use  and  pleasure.  His  faults  were 


68  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

those  of  education  rather  than  of  the  heart;  and, 
where  these  deeply-grafted  prejudices  were  not  at 
tacked,  he  was  frank,  noble,  and  generous,  and  not 
unworthy  the  love  of  a  noble  maiden  like  Kate  Bel- 
lamont.  At  the  moment  seized  upon  to  describe 
his  appearance,  he  was  standing  within  a  few  feet 
of  the  young  fisherman,  his  eyes  sparkling  with 
anger  and  assuming  that  remarkable  shape  which 
has  been  described,  with  his  head  and  one  foot 
advanced,  and  his  whole  attitude  hostile  and  threat 
ening. 

The  fisher's  lad,  who  continued  kneeling  for  an 
instant  at  the  feet  of  the  fair  archeress  awaiting 
her  acceptance  of  the  trophy  he  had  presented,  met 
his  dark  look  unmoved,  and,  as  he  thought,  with  a 
smile  of  proud  defiance.  The  appearance  of  this 
bold  youth,  whose  bearing  caused  the  haughty 
Lester  to  question  if  nature  had  not  a  nobility  of 
her  own  creation,  was,  save  in  his  proud  carriage, 
strikingly  opposite  to  that  of  the  young  noble.  He 
was  about  the  same  age,  and  nearly  as  tall,  but  had 
not  such  fulness  in  the  chest,  and  was  wanting 
something  of  his  breadth  of  shoulders  ;  but  his  fig 
ure,  if  lighter,  was  more  elegant,  and  united  great 
muscular  activity  with  native  dignity  and  ease  of 
motion.  He  wore  fishermen's  loose  trousers,  with 
a  coarse  jacket  of  brown  stuff,  and  was  both  bare 
footed  and  bareheaded.  His  face  was  exceedingly 
fine.  It  was  oval  in  shape,  with  an  olive  complex 
ion,  still  more  darkened  by  exposure  to  wind  and 
sun  :  now,  with  the  glow  of  exercise  and  the  magic 
presence  of  her  before  whom  he  bent,  it  had  be 
come  of  the  richest  brown  colour.  His  dark  hair 
was  glossy  with  sea-water,  and,  parted  naturally 
on  his  brow,  fell  in  long  raven  waves  adown  his 
well-shaped  neck.  His  eyes  were  dark  as  hers 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  69 

on  whom  he  gazed,  exceedingly  large-orbed,  and 
eloquent  with  thought  and  feeling. 

"  What  handsome  eyes !"  thought  Grace  Fitz 
gerald,  as  she  gazed  on  them. 

"  What  dangerous  eyes  !"  thought  Kate. 

His  eyebrows  were  as  even  and  accurately  arched 
as  if  pencilled  ;  but  they  were  redeemed  from  any 
thing  like  effeminacy,  on  account  of  the  delicacy  of 
their  outline,  by  the  intellectual  fulness  of  the  brow. 
His  nose  was  straight,  and  of  just  proportions  ;  his 
mouth  beautiful  as  a  girl's,  yet  full  of  character, 
decision,  and  strength,  and  oftener  it  was  the  seat 
of  dejected  thought  than  of  smiles.  Its  expression 
was  generally  quiet ;  yet  the  finely  chiselled  lips 
were  full  of  spirit ;  and,  when  silent,  seemed  most 
to  speak,  so  eloquent  were  the  thoughts  that  col 
oured  them  with  their  ruby  life.  The  merest  move 
ment  of  the'  upper  conveyed  the  intensest  feelings 
with  the  vivid  rapidity  of  the  lightning's  flash, 
whether  they  were  begotten  of  scorn  or  irony, 
love  or  hatred.  His  bearing,  as  well  as  his  ap 
pearance,  was  above  his  station  ;  and  he  manifested 
a  haughty  independence  of  spirit  that  scorned  the 
distinctions  of  rank,  and  a  pride  of  character  that, 
in  one  of  his  humble  grade,  was  not  far  from  being 
closely  allied  to  audacity.  But  perhaps  this  only 
proceeded  from  a  certain  impatience  at  being  com 
pelled,  nevertheless,  to  admit  in  his  own  person  a 
conventional  inferiority  to  those  with  whom  he  felt 
he  was  on  that  broad  basis  of  equality,  the  elements 
of  which  are  equal  physical  and  intellectual  quali 
fications. 

Though  a  poor  fisher's  lad,  he  possessed  all  the 
feelings  and  sensations  common  to  humanity,  and 
experienced  emotions  both  of  pleasure  and  pain ; 
could  feel  disgusted  at  what  was  revolting,  and  be 


70  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

pleased  at  what  was  agreeable.  He  shared,  there 
fore,  with  all  men,  of  whatever  rank,  from  the  prince 
to  himself — for  there  could  scarcely  be  a  lower 
scale — that  mysterious  principle  of  the  heart  by 
which  it  attracts,  and  is  attracted  to,  woman — he  be 
held  Kate  Bellamont,  and  this  moral  loadstone,  act 
ing  as  nature  intended  it  should  do,  irresistibly  drew 
him  towards  her.  Without  reflection,  without 
cherishing  either  a  hope  or  a  fear,  but  simply  hap 
py  in  the  contiguity,  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  new 
and  delightful  sensations  produced  by  the  flow  of 
love's  magnetic  fluid  through  his  heart.  In  plain 
words,  the  poor  fisher's  lad  fell  deeply  in  love  with 
the  highborn  heiress  of  Castle  Cor. 

No  one  of  the  wonderful  phenomena  of  the  hu 
man  mind  so  fully  demonstrates  that  it  is  a  mesh  of 
anomalies,  as  the  existence  of  the  fact  that,  when  a 
man  loves  a  woman,  he  has  only  to  learn  that  an 
other  regards  her  with  the  same  flattering  senti 
ments,  to  hate  him  most  cordially,  seek  him  out, 
quarrel  with  him,  and  even  take  his  life.  It  would 
seem  to  be  taken  for  granted  that  the  knowledge  of 
this  fact  would  have  a  directly  contrary  effect ;  for 
the  presumption  irresistibly  follows,  that  whoever 
feels  an  interest  in  the  object  to  which  we  our 
selves  are  so  closely  bound  by*lies  of  love,  must, 
without  regarding  the  delicacy  of  the  compliment  to 
our  individual  tastes,  be  proportionably  loved  by  us. 
But  experience  has  too  often  demonstrated  this  by 
no  means  to  be  the  case ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the 
knowledge  of  the  existence  of  a  parallel  attachment 
produces  in  the  breast  of  the  legitimate  admirer 
wrath,  malice,  and  hatred,  filling  his  soul  towards 
the  subject  of  it  with  all  manner  of  evil. 

True  to  this  feeling  of  the  human  heart,  the  young 
noble  and  fisher's  lad  forthwith  felt  rising  in  their 


THE   WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  71 

breasts  towards  each  other  emotions  of  a  hostile 
character;  for  love  is  a  famous  leveller,  and  the 
prince  can  deign  even  to  hate  his  slave  if  love  raises 
him  to  a  rival.  In  one  of  the  youths  it  manifested 
itself  in  the  cool  expression  of  defiance :  in  the 
other,  by  haughty  scorn  and  indignant  surprise. 

When  the  fisher's  lad  had  finished  his  manly  and 
gallant  address,  he  modestly  continued  to  await, 
with  his  hand  upon  the  bird,  the  acknowledgments 
of  the  fair  maiden.  Gratified,  yet  embarrassed, 
Kate  remained  silent,  knowing  not  how  to  reply  to 
the  chivalrous  lad,  who,  under  the  magic  tuition 
of  love,  had  suddenly  assumed  a  character  that 
alarmed  her ;  who,  all  at  once,  had  been  converted, 
as  if  by  a  spell,  from  the  quiet,  yet  handsome  fish 
er's  boy,  who  was  accustomed  to  attend  her  in  her 
excursions  along  the  beach,  into  a  bold  and  daring 
lover !  She  could  not  be  insensible  to  the  compli 
ment.  She  loved  Lester  with  all  her  heart ;  there 
fore  she  could  not  have  requited  the  youth's  boyish 
love,  had  his  blood  been  noble  as  her  own.  Yet 
there  remained  a  place  in  her  heart  for  kindly  grat 
itude,  and  with  a  smile  that  sent  the  quick  colour 
to  the  forehead  of  the  boy,  she  said,  in  a  voice  that 
thrilled  to  his  soul, 

"  I  thank  you,  Mark,  for  the  gift.  I  will  keep  it 
in  remembrance  of  your  courage,  as  well  as  a  tro 
phy  of  my  skill  in  archery ;  notwithstanding,  I  fear 
good  Cormac  will  lay  claim  to  it,  as  it  was  hit  with 
his  own  arrow.  It  would  make  a  brave  ornament, 
with  its  wings  spread  at  length  above  the  door  of 
his  cot,"  she  added,  turning  to  the  old  forester,  who 
stood  respectfully  on  the  outskirts  of  the  party  that 
was  gathered  about  Mark  and  his  ger-falcon. 

As  she  spoke  her  thanks  she  extended  to  Mark 
her  hand,  which  he  took  with  blushing  embarrass 
ment,  and,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  gracefully 


72  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

carried  to  his  lips.  The  eyes  of  the  young  noble 
sparkled  with  anger  as  he  saw  the  offer  of  the  hand, 
but  they  shot  forth  a  menacing  glare  as  he  wit 
nessed  the  act  on  the  part  of  the  youth :  turning 
on  his  heel  with  an  execration,  he  would  have  left 
the  ground  but  for  the  eye  of  Kate  Bellamont, 
which  he  caught  fixed  upon  him. 

"  Come,  Mark,"  said  Grace,  "  you  must  join  us 
all  in  the  pavilion  ;  for  you  need  refreshment  after 
your  fatigue.  I  wish,  Robert,  you  would  present 
him  with  one  of  your  green  hunting-suits.  I  de 
clare,  I  should  like  to  see  if  he  would  not  outbrave 
you  all.  Do  !  good  Lord  Robert." 

"  You  are  perfectly  crazy,  Grace,"  said  Kate, 
aside. 

"  Am  I  ?"  was  the  quiet  reply,  accompanied  by 
a  quizzical  look,  which  conveyed  far  more  than  the 
words  to  Kate's  comprehension,  and  made  her,  in 
spite  of  her  efforts  to  maintain  indifference,  look 
exceedingly  foolish. 

"You  are  all  beside  yourselves,  I  verily  be 
lieve,"  said  Lester,  in  a  tone  that  his  accent  alone 
made  biting ;  "  I  have  no  doubt  whatever  that  it 
would  oblige  you  excessively,  Lady  Grace,  if  I 
would  exchange  attire  with  your  fishy  favourite." 

"  Really,  Lord  Robert,  I  wish  you  would.  I 
have  a  curiosity  to  know  what  sort  of  a  fisherman 
you  would  make.  I  dare  say  a  very  nice  one, 
save  a  spice  or  so  of  pride,  that  would  hardly  suit 
your  station." 

"  Pride  in  a  peasant  is  impertinence.  But  'tis  an 
attribute  most  congenial  to  the  station,  I  discover," 
he  added,  with  cool  irony,  "  and  doth  recommend 
its  possessor,  I  see,  most  particularly  to  the  favour 
of  noble  ladies." 

"  I  advise  you,  then,  Lester,  when  you  chance 
to  fall  in  their  good  graces,"  said  Kate,  assuming 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  73 

the  same  tone,  yet  qualifying  its  bitterness  with 
good-humour,  "  that  you  renew  your  suit  under 
a  fisher's  garb ;  believe  me,  it  will  assuredly  re 
store  you  to  favour." 

"  I  have  no  hesitation  in  believing  it,"  said  Les 
ter,  in  a  grave  tone,  and  with  a  marked  emphasis 
of  manner  that  excited  both  maidens  to  laughter; 
but  he  was  far  from  participating  in  their  merriment, 
and  turned  from  them  with  an  angry  brow. 

"  I  have  delayed  the  banquet  too  long  with  this 
folly,"  said  Kate  ;  "  hie  to  the  pavilion,  fair  arch 
ers  and  gallant  esquires  all,"  she  added,  gayly,  "  and 
I  will  soon  follow  you.  As  for  you,  Mark,  I  will 
send  to  you  some  of  the  choicest  viands  on  the 
board,  and  cousin  Grace  shall  be  the  bearer  of 
them.  Cormac,  take  up  the  hawk." 

"  This  honour  will  please  Lord  Robert  better," 
replied  Grace,  glancing  at  him  with  an  archly  ma 
licious  look. 

"  Lord  Robert  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  this 
piece  of  folly,"  cried  he,  in  a  tone  that  made  her 
start.  "  By  the  cross  of  Christ !  peasant,  if  you 
betake  not  yourself  speedily  to  thy  hovel,  I  will 
hurl  thee  with  mine  own  hand  from  the  cliff  upon 
its  roof." 

As  he  spoke  he  advanced  upon  him.  Mark 
looked  apologetically  at  Kate,  and  then  sprang  to 
his  feet,  and  confronted  him  with  that  calm  cour 
age  which  had  hitherto  characterized  him.  His 
coolness  maddened  the  impulsive  Lester,  and  with 
a  bound  he  leaped  upon  him,  and  caught  him  by 
the  throat ;  but,  ere  he  could  get  his  fingers  firmly 
clinched  upon  his  windpipe,  he  reeled  violently 
backward  by  the  force  of  a  blow  upon  his  chest, 
dealt  with  a  skill  and  accuracy  of  aim  that  compen 
sated  for  any  inequality  of  physical  strength.  With 
eyes  darkening  with  rage,  he  recovered  himself,  and 

VOL.  I—  G 


74  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

seeing  lying  not  far  from  him  on  the  ground  his  short 
hunting-spear,  he  snatched  it  up,  and  launched  it  at 
his  breast  with  a  force  and  direction  that  would 
have  transfixed  him  on  the  spot  but  for  his  presence 
of  mind ;  anticipating  its  flight,  he  quietly  moved 
from  its  path,  when  it  passed  within  a  few  inches 
of  his  head  with  a  loud  whirring  noise,  and,  stri 
king  against  a  distant  rock,  shivered  into  a  thousand 
fragments. 

"Robert  Lester,"  exclaimed  Kate  Bellamont, 
with  a  flashing  eye  and  a  voice  of  indignant  horror, 
"  by  that  act  you  have  forfeited  all  that  belongs  to 
you  as  a  noble  gentleman,  and  also,"  she  added, 
with  deep  feeling  and  a  proud  spirit,  "  all  that  con 
nects  you  with  any  person  (I  speak  for  all)  that  is 
here  present." 

"  Pardon  me,  lady,"  he  said,  throwing  himself  at 
her  feet,  and  attempting  to  take  her  hand. 

"  Never,  Robert  Lester.     Touch  me  not !  Leave 
me — leave  me  !     Leave  us  all !     The  farther  fes 
tivities  of  the  day  will  be  marred  by  your  presence !" 
"  Lady—" 

"  Silence,  assassin  !"  and  the  dark  eyes  of  the 
roused  heiress  of  Bellamont  flashed  with  such  a 
light  as  might  burn  in  an  indignant  seraph's. 

"  Ha !"  he  cried,  starting  to  his  feet,  "  this  to 
me!" 

"  This  to  you,  Robert  Lester,  who  now  have 
made  yourself  lower  than  the  meanest  peasant.  I 
degrade  you  from  your  esquireship  ;  and,  faith  !  if 
the  more  noble  Mark  Meredith  shall  not  take  your 
place.  Mark,  approach  and  be  my  esquire  of  arch 
ery  !" 

The  youth  proudly  smiled,  but  hesitated. 
"  I  command  you.     As  true  as  my  father's  blood 
runs  in  my  veins,  thou  art  the  more  noble  !" 

"  God  of  Heaven  !  this  is  too  much  to  bear  calm- 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  75 

Jy,"  cried  Lester,  his  eyes  assuming  that  remarka 
ble  shape  that  characterized  them  when  his  anger 
had  grown  to  its  height. 

"  Mercy !"  cried  Grace  Fitzgerald,  with  real 
alarm ;  "  what  a  fearful  look  !  I  wonder,"  she 
added,  with  a  slight  touch  of  her  usual  manner, 
"  that  I  ever  could  have  had  the  courage  to  coquet 
with  such  a  terrible  creature." 

The  fierce  noble  made  no  reply,  but,  glancing 
from  her  to  Kate,  looked  pleadingly,  as  if  about  to 
speak ;  but  she  shook  her  head  with  a  motion, 
scarcely  perceptible,  but  in  a  firm  manner,  that  left 
no  hope  to  his  repentant  spirit.  Striking  his  fore 
head  violently,  with  mingled  shame  and  rage  he 
rushed  from  the  spot  towards  the  castle,  and  walked 
rapidly  until  he  disappeared  behind  an  angle  of  one 
of  the  towers.  Kate  Bellamont  followed  him  with 
her  eyes,  her  brow  unbent,  her  proud  manner  and 
high-toned  look  unchanged  ;  but,  when  he  could  no 
longer  be  seen,  there  was  perceptible  a  struggle 
on  her  eloquent  countenance  to  restrain  the  emotion 
with  which  her  heart  was  full.  With  an  even  voice 
and  forced  gayety,  she  said, 

"We  will  now  to  the  pavilion,  maidens  fair  and 
cavaliers ;  and  I  trust  this  rudeness  of  yonder 
haughty  boy  will  not  mar  our  festivities.  Mark, 
you  will  attend  me.  What!  has  he  gone  too? 
God  grant  two  such  fiery  youths  meet  not  again 
this  day." 

"  Didst  observe,  my  lady,"  said  Cormac,  who 
had  been  a  silent  spectator  of  the  exciting  scene, 
"  didst  take  note  of  that  look  out  of  the  eyes  of  Lord 
Robert  ?  Well,  if  it  did  not  remind  me  of  Hurtel 
o'  the  Red  Hand,  as  if  he  had  stood  before  me." 

And  the  old  forester  ominously  shook  his  head, 
as  if  it  contained  something  very  mysterious,  yet  un 
told,  and  followed  the  party  to  the  pavilion,  whither 


76  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

they  had  already  directed  their  steps,  to  partake, 
with  what  spirits  they  might  after  the  scenes  that 
had  transpired,  of  the  luxurious  banquet  therein 
spread  for  their  entertainment. 

Here  Kate  Bellamont,  who  preserved  a  calm 
dignity  the  while,  and,  save  to  the  eye  of  Grace, 
whose  generous  spirit  sympathized  warmly  and 
sincerely  in  her  feelings,  betrayed  no  outward  signs 
of  emotion,  with  a  tranquilly-spoken  excuse  for  her 
absence  left  them  and  fled  to  the  castle :  she  ran 
through  its  long  hall  like  a  hunted  hart;  flew  up 
the  broad  staircase  to  her  boudoir,  and  entering  it, 
closed  the  door.  Then  uttering  a  gasping  cry  of 
suffering,  she  threw  herself,  with  a  wild  abandon 
ment  of  passion,  upon  a  seat ;  the  fountains  of  her 
bursting  heart,  so  long  choked  up,  were  opened ; 
and  she  gave  way  to  an  irresistible  flood  of  tears. 

It  is  ever  thus  with  woman !  Although,  in  the 
moment  of  just  resentment,  pride  and  anger  may 
for  a  while  check  the  flow  of  affection,  and  harden 
the  wounded  heart  as  if  bound  about  with  bands  of 
steel,  yet  love  will  return  again,  dissolve  these 
bands,  and  convert  resentment  into  tenderness.  It 
is  its  nature  to  obliterate  all  dark  spots  that  wrong 
may  have  cast  upon  the  heart ;  to  palliate  offences, 
and  to  forgive  even  where  forgiveness  is  a  weak 
ness :  it  makes,  itself  half  sharer  of  the  fault;  is 
ever  ready  to  bear  the  whole  weight  of  the  blame, 
and  with  open  arms  to  receive  back  again,  without 
either  atonement  or  acknowledgment,  the  guilty 
but  still  loved  offender. 

In  a  few  moments  the  current  of  her  feelings  had 
changed.  She  thought  of  the  thousand  noble  qual 
ities  of  Lester's  head  and  heart,  shaded  only  by  the 
faults  of  pride  of  birth  and  a  hasty  temper. 

"  For  these,"  she  asked  of  her  heart,  "  shall  I 
break  his  high  spirit  ?  For  these  shall  I  inflict  a 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  77 

pang  on  his  noble  nature  ?  For  these,  which 
among  men  are  regarded  praiseworthy  attributes 
of  highborn  gentlemen — for  these  shall  I  make 
him  unhappy,  and  myself — for  it  will  kill  me — 
miserable  ?  Oh,  Lester,  dear  Lester,  I  was  too, 
too  cruel !  You  had  cause  for  anger ;  but  oh,  that 
fatal  spear !  Would  that  it  had  been  far  from 
your  hasty  arm  !" 

At  this  moment  she  heard  the  sound  of  horses' 
feet  moving  rapidly  across  the  court  towards  the 
forest.  With  a  foreboding  of  the  cause  she  flew  to 
the  lattice,  and  beheld  Lester,  mounted  on  his  coal- 
black  steed,  galloping  at  the  top  of  the  animal's 
speed  away  from  the  castle,  each  moment  burying 
his  armed  heels  into  his  sides,  and  riding  as  if  he 
would  outstrip  the  winds.  For  a  moment  she  watch 
ed  him  with  an  earnest  gaze,  then  threw  open  the 
lattice,  shouted  his  name,  and  waved  her  hand  !  But 
his  back  was  towards  her,  and  he  was  too  far  off 
to  hear  even  her  voice  calling  him  to  return  ;  and 
in  a  few  seconds  afterward  he  entered  the  wood. 
With  tearful  eyes  she  saw  the  last  wave  of  his  dark 
plume  as  he  disappeared  in  the  winding  of  the 
road  ;  and,  leaning  her  hand  upon  the  window,  she 
sobbed  as  if  her  young  heart  would  break.  Oh  love, 
love,  what  a  mystery  thou  art ! 
G2 


78  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 


CHAPTER  III. 

"  Alas !  the  love  of  women !  it  is  known 

To  be  a  lovely  and  a  fearful  thing  ; 
For  all  of  theirs  upon  that  die  is  thrown, 

And  if  'tis  lost,  life  hath  no  more  to  bring 
To  them  but  mockeries  of  the  past  alone, 

And  their  revenge  is  as  the  tiger's  spring, 
'    Deadly,  and  quick,  and  crushing  ;  yet,  as  real 
Fortune  is  theirs — what  they  inflict  they  feel." 

Don  Juan. 

KATE  BELLAMONT  gazed  after  the  departing  Les 
ter  until  his  receding  form  became  indistinct,  and 
his  dancing  plume  mingled  with  the  waving  foliage 
of  the  forest  into  which  he  rode  ;  she  then  bent 
her  ear  and  listened  till  his  horse's  feet  ceased 
longer  to  give  back  a  sound,  when,  overcome  by 
the  depth  and  strength  of  her  feelings,  she  leaned 
her  head  upon  the  lattice  and  wept  like  a  very 
child  ;  at  length  she  recollected  the  duties  that  de 
volved  upon  her  as  entertainer  of  the  party  of  arch 
ers  ;  and,  forcing  a  calmness  that  she  did  not  feel, 
she  descended  to  the  lawn,  and  once  more  mingled 
in  the  festivities  of  her  birthday. 

Notwithstanding  all  her  self-possession,  her  eyes 
often  filled  with  tears  when  they  should  have  light 
ed  up  with  smiles ;  and  even  her  smiles  were 
tinged  with  sadness  !  And  how  could  it  be  other 
wise,  when  her  heart  and  her  thoughts  were  at  no 
moment  with  the  scenes  before  her?  She  longed 
for  the  day  to  close — for  the  night  to  approach — 
that  she  might  fly  to  her  solitary  chamber,  and 
there,  hidden  from  every  eye,  indulge  her  feelings. 
At  length  the  long,  long  day  came  to  an  end,  and 
with  it  departed  the  youthful  company  on  horse 
back  to  their  several  homes.  A  gay  and  gallant 
appearance  the  cavalcade  presented  as  it  rode 


THE    WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  79 

away  from  the  castle — a  youthful  cavalier  prancing 
by  the  bridle  of  each  maiden,  and  a  band  of  armed 
retainers  of  the  several  families  bringing  up  the 
rear.  Kate  bade  them  adieu,  and  stood  in  the 
hall-door  following  them  with  her  eyes  till  the  last 
horseman  was  lost  in  the  windings  of  the  forest ; 
she  then  flew  to  her  chamber,  and,  turning  the  bolt 
of  her  door,  cast  herself  upon  her  heal  and  once 
more  gave  free  vent  to  the  gushing  tears  which  she 
could  no  longer  restrain. 

Twilight  was  lost  in  night :  the  round  moon  rose 
apace,  and,  shining  through  the  Gothic  lattice,  fell 
in  a  myriad  of  diamond-shaped  flakes  on  the  floor; 
yet  had  she  not  lifted  her  face  from  her  pillow 
since  first  she  had  buried  it  there,  though  the  vio 
lence  of  her  grief  had  long  since  subsided  ;  and  so 
still  was  she  that  she  seemed  to  sleep.  But  the 
soft  influence  of  this  gentle  blessing  was  a  stranger 
to  her  aching  eyelids.  Her  soul  was  sad  and  dark  ! 
her  sensitive  spirit  had  been  wounded  !  the  wing 
of  her  heart  was  broken.  Her  thoughts  rushed 
wild  and  tumultuous  through  her  brain,  and  her 
young  bosom,  torn  by  strong  emotions,  heaved  like 
the  billow  when  lashed  by  the  storm.  She  m-ourn- 
ed  in  the  silence  of  her  heart's  depths,  without  sol 
ace,  and  without  hope  ;  condemning  her  own  hasty 
act,  and,  like  a  very  woman,  excusing  his  conduct 
by  every  invention  that  her  true  love  could  find  in 
palliation. 

All  at  once  she  was  disturbed  by  a  light  tap  at 
her  door.  She  started  suddenly,  aroused  from  that 
world  of  troubled  thought  in  which  she  had  so 
long  been  lost  to  the  exclusion  of  everything  ex 
ternal,  and  lifted  her  face.  Her  surprise  was  great 
on  seeing  the  moon  looking  in  upon  her,  and  filling 
her  little  room  with  an  atmosphere  like  floating 
dust  of  silver.  A  glow  of  pleasure  warmed  her 


80  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

heart,  and  an  exclamation  of  delight  unconsciously 
escaped  from  her  lips — it  was  so  calmly  bright,  so 
richly  beautiful !  Like  a  blessing  sent  from  heav 
en,  the  sweet  moonlight  fell  upon  her  soul,  and  all 
the  softer  and  holier  sympathies  of  her  nature  were 
touched  by  its  celestial  beauty.  She  approached 
the  lattice  and  threw  it  open,  forgetting  the  cause 
that  had  aroused  her  from  her  mood  of  grief,  in  ad 
miration  of  the  loveliness  to  which  she  had  awa 
kened. 

A  second  tap  was  heard  at  her  door.  She  start 
ed  with  instant  consciousness  ;  and  throwing  back 
from  her  face  the  cloud  of  raven  ringlets  that  had 
fallen  about  it,  tried  to  assume  a  cheerful  look,  and 
bade  the  applicant  enter. 

"  I  can't,  cousin  Kate,"  said  the  sweet  voice  of 
Grace  Fitzgerald,  in  a  low  tone  ;  "  you  have  locked 
yourself  in." 

Kate  blushed,  stammered  something,  she  scarcely 
Knew  what,  in  excuse,  and  turning  the  key,  admit 
ted  her  mischievous  cousin. 

"  In  the  dark,  Kate !"  exclaimed  Grace,  as  she 
entered. 

"  'Twere  sacrilege,  cousin,  to  bring  a  lamp  in 
presence  of  this  lovely  moon  !  Come  stand  by  the 
lattice  with  me,"  she  said,  throwing  her  arms  about 
her  and  drawing  her  towards  her. 

The  fair  cousins  leaned  together  from  the  win 
dow  and  looked  out  upon  the  silvery  scene.  There 
was  something  in  the  quiet  loveliness  of  the  lawn 
beneath,  spangled  with  myriads  of  dewdrops  like 
minute  fragments  of  diamonds  ;  in  the  deep  repose 
of  the  dark  woods ;  in  the  majesty  of  the  ocean, 
which  sent  its  heavy,  sighing  sound  to  their  ears 
with  every  passing  breeze  ;  in  the  glory  of  the  glit 
tering  firmament,  with  the  moon  like  a  bride  walk 
ing  in  its  midst,  and  in  their  own  lonely  situation, 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  81 

which  the  silence  of  the  castle  and  the  lateness  of 
the  hour  contributed  to  increase,  to  make  both 
silent  and  thoughtful. 

At  length  a  deep  sigh  escaped  the  bosom  of 
Kate,  and  Grace  turned  to  contemplate  her  uncon 
scious  face,  as  with  thoughtful  eyes,  her  head  rest 
ing  in  her  hand,  she  gazed  on  vacancy,  evidently 
thinking  on  subjects  wholly  separated  from  the 
natural  scenery  before  her. 

"Dear  Kate,"  said  Grace,  after  watching  for 
some  time  in  silence  the  sad,  pale  brow  of  her 
cousin,  and  speaking  in  a  tone  of  tender  and  affec 
tionate  sympathy  ;  "  dear  Kate,  I  pity  you  !"  She 
gently  threw  her  arms  about  her  neck  as  she  spoke, 
and,  drawing  her  towards  her,  kissed  her  cheek. 

The  touching  sincerity  of  her  manner,  unusual 
to  the  merry  maiden,  came  directly  home  to  her 
heart.  She  felt  that  she  was  understood  ;  that  her 
sorrow  was  appreciated  !  She  struggled  with  vir 
gin  coyness  for  a  few  seconds,  and  then,  yielding 
to  her  increasing  emotions,  threw  herself  into  her 
arms  and  wept  there.  How  grateful  to  her  full 
heart  to  find  another  into  which  it  could  freely 
empty  itself!  How  happy,  very  happy  was  she, 
that  that  heart  was,  of  all  others,  her  beloved  cous 
in's  !  How  unexpected  her  sympathy !  How 
soothing,  how  welcome  to  her  sad  and  isolated  bo 
som  !  At  length  she  lifted  her  face,  and,  smiling 
through  her  tears,  said,  after  dwelling  an  instant  on 
the  lovely  features  of  her  cousin, 

"  You  are  a  sweet,  noble  creature,  Grace  !  You 
don't  know  how  happy  your  kind  sympathy  has 
made  me  !  and  all  so  unlocked  for !  Yet  I  know 
you  will  think  me  very  silly ;  and  I  fear  your  nat 
ural  spirit  will  break  out  again,  and  that  you  will, 
ere  long,  ridicule  what  you  now  regard  with  such 
sweet  charity !" 


'82  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Believe  me,  Kate,  I  feel  for  you  with  all  my 
heart.  I  could  have  cried  for  you  a  dozen  times 
to-day,  when  I  saw  how  very  unhappy  you  look 
ed  !"  she  added,  with  tenderness  beaming  through 
her  deep  shaded  eyes. 

"  And  yet,  dear  Grace,  I  think  I  never  saw  you 
so  gay,  nor  those  little  lips  so  rich  with  merry 
speeches,"  pursued  Kate,  playfully  tapping  her  rosy 
lips  with  her  ringer. 

"  It  was  for  your  sake,  dear  cousin  Kate.  I 
saw  that  your  feelings  were  wrought  up  to  just 
that  point  when  you  must  either  laugh  or  cry,  and 
one  as  easy  for  you  to  do  as  the  other ;  so,  trem 
bling  lest,  in  spite  of  yourself,  you  should  lean  to 
wards  the  tragic  vein,  I  did  my  little  best  to  make 
you  laugh." 

"  You  were  a  kind,  generous  creature,  Grace," 
said  the  maiden,  with  a  glow  of  grateful  energy  in 
her  manner.  "  I  have  not  half  known  your  worth, 
though  you  have  been  full  six  months  at  Castle 
Cor." 

"  And  now,  just  as  you  are  beginning  to  know 
what  a  nice,  good  cousin  I  turn  out  to  be,  I  am,  hey 
for  merry  England  again  !" 

"  I  cannot  part  with  you,  Grace ;  my  father  must 
sail  to-morrow  without  you.  You  will  stay  with 
me,  won't  you  ?"  she  added,  with  sportive  earnest 
ness. 

"  I  have  twice  delayed  my  departure,  and  poor 
father  will  need  my  nursing  in  this  recent  return  of 
his  old  complaint.  I  fear  we  may  not  meet  again 
for  many  years.  I  shall  then,"  she  said,  with  her 
usual  thoughtlessness,  "perhaps,  find  you  Lady 
Lester !  Forgive  me,  cousin  Kate,"  she  instantly 
added,  as  she  saw  the  expression  of  her  face  change  ; 
"  1  am  a  careless  creature,  to  wound  at  one  moment 
where  I  have  healed  at  another.  But,"  she  added, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  83 

with  playful  assurance,  "  this  may  yet  be  even 
as  I  have  said !  Nay,  don't  shake  your  head  so 
determinedly  !  Lester  is  not  so  angry  that  a  word 
from  you  will  not  bring  him  to  your  feet." 

"  Cousin  Grace,  do  you  know  what  and  of  whom 
you  are  speaking  ?"  said  Kate,  startled  that  her  feel 
ings  should  have  been  so  well  divined ;  shrinking 
with  maidenly  shame  that  the  strength  of  her  love 
and  the  weakness  of  her  resolution  should  be  dis 
covered  to  her  observing  cousin,  and  involuntarily 
resenting,  with  the  impulse  of  a  woman  at  such  a 
time,  the  imputation. 

"  Indeed  I  do,  dear  coz !  so  do  no  injustice  to 
your  own  feelings  by  denying  them.  You  will  for 
give  Lester  if  I  will  bring  him  to  your  feet  ?"  she  in 
quired,  archly. 

"  Yes— no — that  is — " 

''That  you  will.  Very  well.  Before  to-mor 
row's  sun  be  an  hour  old,  he  shall  kneel  there."  4 

"  Not  for  the  world,  Grace  !"  she  cried,  trem 
bling  between  fear  and  hope  ;  her  love  struggling 
with  the  respect  due  to  her  maidenly  dignity,  which 
she  could  not  but  feel,  still,  that  Lester  had  out 
raged. 

"  I  don't  care  for  your  words,  Kate ;  I  know  they 
mean  just  the  opposite  of  what  you  say.  Robert 
Lester  shall  kneel  at  your  feet  to-morrow  morning, 
and  sue  for  pardon  for  his  offence,"  she  added,  with 
gentle  stubbornness.  i 

"  Without  compromising  my — "  she  half  uncon 
sciously  began. 

"  I  shall  not  compromise  you  in  the  least.  There 
shall  be  no  syllable  of  concession  on  your  part 
mentioned ;  let  me  manage  it  my  own  way,  and 
see  if  you  do  not  love  each  other  the  better  for 
it  yet?" 

"  Coz !"   she  cried,  placing  her  fore  finger  on 


84  CAPTAIN   KYD  ;    OR, 

her  mouth  reprovingly,  yet  pleased   and  smiling 
with  the  first  dawnings  of  bright  returning  hope. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  smile  once  more,  and  I 
am  resolved  you  shall  yet  be  happy,"  added  Grace, 
who  had  shown  that,  beneath  the  light  current  of 
gayety  that  usually  characterized  her,  there  was  a 
flow  of  deep  and  generous  feeling  ;  and  that,  with 
all  her  thoughtless  levity,  she  was  susceptible  both 
of  the  sincerest  attachment  and  of  the  warmest 
friendship.  Her  words  conveyed  the  germe  of 
hope  to  the  breast  of  her  cousin.  Her  confident 
manner  inspired  confidence ;  and  the  happy  Kate, 
giving  herself  up  to  the  direction  of  the  sanguine 
feelings  her  language  and  presence  had  caused  to 
spring  up  in  her  sinking  heart,  became  all  at  once 
a  different  being. 

"If  I  am  happy  in  the  way  you  mean,  I  shall 
owe  it  all  to  you,"  she  said,  kissing  her.  "Now 
for  your  plan,  my  sweet  diplomatist." 

"  Now  for  my  plan,  then.  That  Lord  Robert 
has  gone  home  very  angry  indeed,  there  can  be  no 
question.  Now,  when  a  lover  is  angry,  justly, 
with  his  mistress,  he  will  be  ever  ready  to  meet 
her,  not  only  half,  but  the  whole,  of  the  way,  to 
bring  about  a  reconciliation.  When  he  has  no 
right  to  be  angry  with  her,  and  is  so  foolish  as  to 
be  so,  how  much  the  more  readily  then  will  he  be 
brought  to  her  feet !  There  is  a  spice  of  argu 
ment  for  you.  Now,  as  Lord  Robert  has  no  cause 
in  the  world  to  be  offended  with  you,  it  follows 
that  he  has  every  cause  in  the  world  to  induce  him 
to  acknowledge  his  offence,  and  ask  pardon  there 
for  on  the  very  first  opportunity.  Now  all  that  he 
wants  cheerfully  to  do  this,  it  appears  to  me,  is 
the  assurance  that,  after  such  a  philippic  as  that 
with  which  you  were  pleased  to  send  him  off,  he 
will  be  received  graciously." 


THE    WIZARD  OF   THE    SEA.  85 

"But  how,  if  I  should  be  inclined  to  be  gra 
cious,  sage  cousin  of  mine,  is  Lester  to  know  it  ?" 

"  That  will  very  easily  be  brought  about,  I  think. 
Let  me  see !"  and  she  seemed  to  muse  very  pro 
foundly  for  a  few  seconds.  "  Ha !  I  have  it.  I 
will  borrow  that  curious  locket  he  gave  you — " 

"  Locket,  Grace — Lord  Robert  gave  me  !"  re 
peated  Kate,  colouring,  and  looking  out  of  the  lat 
tice  as  if  some  interesting  object  had  at  that  mo 
ment  drawn  her  attention. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Grace,  dryly,  and  with  a  look  of 
the  most  provoking  positiveness. 

"  It  is  no  use,  I  see,  to  conceal  anything  from 
you,  mischief !  How  did  you  know  he  gave  it  to 
me?" 

"  Young  ladies  are  not  wont  to  take  from  their 
bosoms  a  boughten  trinket,  and  slyly  kiss  it  a  hun 
dred  times  a  day,  and — " 

"  Grace,  Grace  !"  cried  Kate,  attempting  to  stop 
her  saucy  speech. 

"  And  sleep  with  it  under  their  pillow." 

"  Cousin  Grace !" 

"  I  have  done,"  she  said,  quietly. 

"You  well  may  be.  Oh,  if  I  do  not  wish  you 
had  a  lover,  that  I  could  repay  you  in  kind  !" 

"  Perhaps  I  have  !"  was  the  imperturbable  re 
joinder  of  the  maiden. 

"I  dare  say  fifty  whom  you  call  so.  Among 
the  gay  Oxford  gallants,  the  heiress  of  a  coronet 
could  not  be  without  admirers ;  but  oh,  if  I  knew 
only  of  one  lover  who  could  set  that  little  heart  of 
yours  a  trembling !" 

"  You  forget  your  locket,  cousin,"  said  the  other, 
gravely. 

"  What  shall  be  done  with  it,  Grace  ?" 

"  Send  it  to  Lester,  with  this  message  :  '  He  who 
returns  this  gift  of  love  to  her  who  sends  it,  shall 

VOL.  I.— H 


86  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

with  love  be  met.''  Now  is  not  that  very  pretty,  and 
as  it  should  be  ?" 

"  What  a  wild  creature  !  Would  you  have  me 
send  such  a  message  to  Lester,  child  ?  He  would 
think  me  jesting  with  him." 

"  No,  never.  Is  it  not  just  what  you  want  to 
say — what  you  feel — what  you  wish,  above  all 
things,  he  should  know  you  feel  ?" 

"  Yes,  indeed,  Grace,"  she  replied,  with  the  most 
ingenuous  naivete. 

"  Then  it  shall  go.  Give  me  the  token.  Nay, 
part  not  with  it  so  reluctantly  ;  'twill  soon  be  back, 
with  a  prize  worth  a  thousand  of  it.  Give  it  me, 
coz.  Nay,  then,  kiss  it !  and  so  will  I." 

"  No,  you  shall  not !"  cried  Kate,  with  laughing 
earnestness. 

"  Oh,  I  do  hope  I  never  shall  be  in  love  !"  said 
Grace,  getting  possession  of  the  locket.  "  Here  is 
pencil  and  paper.  Can  you  write  by  this  moon 
light  ?  Lovers,  methinks,  should  write  by  no  other 
light."  She  spread  the  paper  on  the  window  as 
she  spoke. 

"  Write  !  what  do  you  mean,  Grace  ?"  exclaim 
ed  Kate,  with  surprise. 

"  I  mean  for  you  to  put  down,  in  your  nicest 
hand,  my  gem  of  a  message  to  Robert." 

"  Never,  Grace.     What  will  he  think  of  me  ?" 

"  He  will  think  you  love  him  very  much." 

"  Just  what  I  don't  wish  him  to  think,"  she  said, 
with  singular  decision. 

"  Was  there  ever !"  cried  Grace,  holding  up 
both  hands.  "  Well,  this  love  is  an  odd  thing ! 
What  instinctive  coquetry !  Like  John  Milton's 
Eve, 

'  All  conscious  of  your  worth, 
You  would  be  woo'd,  and,  not  unsought,  be  won.' 

I  don't  understand   this  disguising  love  under  a 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  87 

show  of  coldness — seeming  to  hate  where  the  heart 
pants  and  glows  with  devotion.  Oh,  if  this  be  love, 
I'll  none  of  it.  Here  is  the  pencil,  and  there  is  a 
fair  sheet,  and  the  moon  is  patiently  holding  her 
silver  lamp  for  you  ;  will  you  write  ?" 

"  I  will,  to  gratify  you,  cousin  Grace,"  she  said, 
taking  the  pencil  and  placing  her  fingers  lightly  on 
the  paper  which  lay  in  the  window. 

"  To  please  me  !  very  well,  be  it  so.  Who  could 
have  believed,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ago,  that  I 
should  have  had  to  coax  you  to  send  a  line  to  Rob 
ert  Lester !  You  may  well  hide  your  telltale 
face." 

Kate  bent  her  head  over  the  gilded  sheet  and 
began  to  write,  or,  at  least,  to  make  characters 
with  her  pencil,  when  Grace,  impatient  at  her  slow 
progress,  looked  over  her  shoulder  and  exclaimed, 

"  Why,  what  are  you  writing  1  Lester  Robert, 
Robert  Lester,  Robert  Lester,  Lester  Rob — ." 

Kate  glanced  at  what  she  had  written,  hastily 
run  her  pencil  through  it,  and  said,  with  a  mortified 
laugh, 

"  I  had  forgotten  what  to  write." 

"  And  so  put  down  what  was  deepest  in  your 
memory,"  said  Grace,  with  a  vexatious  air.  "  Now 
take  this  fair  page,  and  write  as  I  repeat : 

"  '  He  who  shall  bring  again  this  gift  of  love  to 
her  who  sends  it,  shall  with  love  be  met* 

"  Is  it  written  ?" 

"  Letter  for  letter." 

"  And  you  will  find  that  each  letter  will  act  as  a 
charm.  Never  so  few  monosyllables  as  I  have 
strung  together  here  held  so  much  magic." 

"  Who  will  be  its  bearer  ?"  Kate  now  inquired 
in  a  lively  tone. 

"  I  will  find  a  Mercury  both  sure  and  swift,"  she 
said,  folding  the  locket  in  the  billet. 


88  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

This  gage  d'amour  was  oval  in  shape,  of  plain 
gold,  with  a  chased  rim,  a  little  raised,  enclosing  an 
azure  field,  on  which,  in  exquisite  enamel,  were  in 
laid  the  crests  of  Lester  and  Bellamont,  joined  to 
gether  by  two  clasped  hands  :  beneath  was  the  san 
guine  motto, 

DURANTE    VITA. 

"  Now,  coz,  for  one  of  your  raven  ringlets  to 
bind  around  it !" 

"  No,  I  will  not,  Grace  !" 

"  Then  I  will  tie  it  with  a  lock  of  my  own  hair," 
she  said,  in  a  sportive  manner,  running  her  fingers 
through  her  auburn  tresses  ;  and,  selecting  one  that 
was  like  a  silken  braid  for  its  soft  and  shining  tex 
ture,  she  prepared  to  sever  it  from  her  temples. 

"You  provoking  child,  you  will  have  your  own 
way,"  said  Kate,  shaking  forward  the  dark  cloud  of 
her  abundant  hair,  and  intwining  her  finger  in  a  jetty 
tress  that  rivalled  the  sable  hue  of  the  night  swal 
low's  dark  and  glossy  wing. 

"  Half  an  hour  since  you  verily  would  have 
parted  with  every  lock  to  be  assured  the  sacrifice 
would  bring  him  to  you  ;  and  now,  forsooth,  scarce 
ly  will  you  part  with  a  strand  to  bind  a  note.  There !" 
she  added,  clipping  a  beautiful  ringlet  that  Kate 
had  selected  from  the  rest ;  "  now  all  that  is  want 
ed  is  wax — no,  not  that !  I  will  fasten  it  with  a  true- 
lover's-knot,  which  will  be  far  better ;  will  it  not, 
coz  ?" 

As  she  said  this  she  looked  up  with  a  bright 
light  dancing  in  her  dark  hazel  eyes ;  and,  with 
out  waiting  for  a  reply,  in  a  few  seconds  tied,  with 
great  gravity,  the  mysterious  knot  she  had  men 
tioned,  and  gave  the  billet  to  her  cousin  for  the 
superscription.  "Write,  'These:  to  the  hands  of 
Robert,  Lord  Lester,  of  Castle  More,  greeting,' "  she 
said,  with  gravity. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  89 

"  Nay,  I  will  direct  it  simply  '  Lester,  Castle 
More,'"  she  said,  decidedly. 

"  By  which,"  said  Grace,  laughing,  "  you  avoid 
the  distant  respect  conveyed  in  my  own  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  tenderness  that  is  ready  to  gush  from 
your  heart  on  the  other.  Love  certainly  does  make 
his  votaries  skilful  tacticians !  Truly,  now,  is  not 
this  a  proper  love-billet — written  in  a  lattice  by  the 
light  of  the  moon,  and  tied  with  a  braid  of  the  lady's 
hair  in  a  true-love-knot?  Well,  when  I  am  in 
love  I  shall  know  how  to  manage  rightly  all  these 
little  affairs." 

"  Who  is  to  be  our  Mercury  on  this  occasion  ?" 
inquired  Kate,  with  a  little  doubt  in  the  tones  of  her 
voice.  "  I  fear  we  shall  have  to  trust  it  to  a  moon 
beam  also." 

"  Something  more  substantial,  I  assure  you,"  said 
the  good-humoured  maiden,  in  a  very  positive  man 
ner. 

"  Not  one  of  the  menials,  for  the  world  !" 

"  No,  no !"  she  answered,  with  quickness  ;  and 
then  approaching  her  cousin's  ear,  she  pronounced, 
very  mysteriously,  the  very  homely  monosyllable, 

"  Mark  !" 

"  That  proud  boy  !  He  become  the  bearer  of  a 
message  to  Lester  !"  she  exclaimed,  looking  at  her 
with  surprise. 

"  For  me  he  will !"  replied  Grace,  confidently. 

"  Two  such  spirits  to  come  in  contact !  No,  no  ! 
Have  you  forgotten  how  they  parted  to-day  ?" 

"  No." 

"  Then  why  do  you  propose  so  wild  a  scheme  ?" 

"  Mark  will  do  as  I  bid  him,"  she  said,  with  a 
naive  and  pertinaciousness  that  was  wholly  irresist 
ible. 

Kate  burst  into  such  a  merry,  musical  peal 
of  laughter,  that  at  first  the  maiden  looked  very 
H  2 


90  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

grave,  but  at  length  found  it  in  vain  to  withhold 
her  sympathy,  and  laughed  wilh  her ;  while  the  rich 
blood  mounted  to  her  cheeks,  and  invested  her  with 
surpassing  beauty. 

"  Oh,  oh !"  cried  Kate,  triumphantly,  "  so  you 
are  a  very  little  in  love  !  I  half  guessed  it !  Doubt 
less  there  is  blood  enough  in  thy  noble  veins  for 
both  of  you." 

"  Very  well,  cousin,  you  may  think  what  you 
choose,"  she  replied ;  adding,  in  a  tone  and  man 
ner  that  left  her  cousin  in  doubt  if  she  were  not 
half  in  earnest,  "  but  if  I  were  in  love  with  him,  is 
he  not  noble  in  person  ?  handsome,  gallant,  and 
brave  ?  Why  may  he  not  be  worthy  a  noble  maid 
en's  love  ?  I  would  not  give  him  as  he  is,  for  Les 
ter,  with  all  his  nobility,  coupled  as  it  is  with  his 
terrible  passions." 

"  Out  upon  you,  jade,"  said  Kate,  good-humour- 
edly ;  "  will  you  revile  in  this  vein  my  noble  Les 
ter — compare  him  to  a  fisher's  lad  ?  Where  is  your 
pride  of  birth  and  rank,  Grace  Fitzgerald  !  Really, 
I  should  not  wonder  if,  with  your  levelling  notions, 
you  should  some  day  throw  yourself  away  upon 
some  one  unworthy  to  wear  so  fair  and  rich  a  flower 
in  his  bosom." 

"  I  have  both  wealth  and  rank,  and  shall  be  my 
own  mistress  soon  !  that  I  will  give  my  hand  where 
my  heart  goes,  you  may  rest  assured,  cousin  Kate," 
said  the  maiden,  with  spirited,  yet  sportive  decis 
ion. 

"  Marry  come  up  !  I  shall  not  wonder  if  I  come 
to  be  cousin  to  a  cordwainer's  'prentice  yet !  I 
shall  assuredly  allow  you  to  go  to  the  good  old 
earl,  your  father,  to-morrow,  and  shall  not  fail  to 
bid  him,  in  a  letter,  to  lock  you  up." 

"  Love  laughs  at  locksmiths,  you  have  heard  it 
said,  cousin.  But  a  truce  to  this.  I  am  not  yet 


:  >  ::  ••  .•'•'..;• :  • 

THE    WIZABD    OF    THE    SEA.  91 

in  love,  so  be  not  alarmed.  I  will  sally  forth  and 
find  Mark,  and  at  once  despatch  him  with  this  mes 
sage  to  Castle  More." 

As  she  spoke  she  threw  a  cloak  over  her  shoulders 
and  prepared  to  envelop  her  head  and  face  in  its 
hood.  At  this  crisis  Kate's  troubled  countenance 
indicated  a  wavering  purpose;  and  as  Grace  was 
fastening  the  hood  beneath  her  chin,  she  laid  her 
hand  on  her  arm  : 

"  No,  Grace,  you  must  not.  Lester  will  scorn 
me  ;  let  him  go  for  ever  first !"  she  added,  in  a  sad, 
irresolute  tone  of  voice. 

"  No,  no  !  In  ten  minutes  afterward  you  would 
be  playing  Niobe.  Have  your  feelings  towards 
Lester  changed  an  iota  ?" 

"  No ;  but—" 

"  Yet  you  know  not,  if  you  delay,  how  his  may 
change,  nor  what  rash  act  he  may  commit !" 

"  I  will  send  the  token,"  she  said,  after  a  mo 
ment's  struggle. 

"  I  will  soon  return  with  news  of  my  success," 
she  said,  placing  her  hand  on  the  latch  of  the  door. 

"  Go,  then,  quickly  !  But  you  will  not  venture 
to  the  beach  alone  ?" 

"  'Tis  light  as  noonday  !  A  step  across  the  lawn, 
and  a  short  trip  down  the  path,  and  old  Meredith's 
hut  is  within  a  stone's  throw.  I  will  not  be  three 
minutes  gone." 

"  I  must  certainly  go  with  you,  Grace." 

"Not  for  the  world!" 

"  Lest  I  interrupt  the  tender  moonlight  interview 
you  have  in  prospect  with  the  handsome  fisher 
man,  I  dare  say.  Ah,  you  arch  girl !  I  verily 
believe  you  have  an  eye  to  your  own  interests, 
which  accounts  for  your  devotion  to  me  in  this  mat 
ter,"  said  Kate,  laughing,  and  shaking  her  head  at 
her. 


92  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

"  A  fisher's  lad !"  she  repeated,  in  the  slightly 
scornful  tone  her  cousin  had  hitherto  used. 

"  Nay,  I  was  not  in  earnest,  Grace,"  said  Kate, 
apologetically,  kissing  her  as  she  was  leaving  the 
chamber. 

"  Nor  was  I,"  replied  the  lively  maiden.  "  Watch 
me  from  the  opposite  window  as  I  cross  the  lawn. 
Courage,  dear  cousin !  You  will  soon  have  Les 
ter  at  your  feet,  and  be  folded  in  his — " 

"  Go  !"  cried  the  blushing  Kate,  closing  the  door 
upon  her  ere  she  could  finish  her  sentence. 

She  listened  to  her  light  footstep  echoing  through 
the  hall  till  it  was  lost  on  the  lawn  ;  then  turning 
to  her  window,  she  shortly  afterward  discovered 
her  gliding  across  the  archery-field  towards  the 
cliff,  and,  with  a  wave  of  her  hand  towards  the  lat 
tice,  rapidly  descend  the  path  that  led  to  the  beach. 
With  her  heart  fluttering  with  mingled  hopes, 
fears,  and  desires,  she  sat  watching  in  the  win 
dow  for  her  return.  Her  thoughts  the  while  were 
busy.  She  followed,  in  imagination,  the  message 
to  Castle  More  ;  pictured  Lester's  reception  of  the 
token  ;  fancied  his  surprise,  his  rapture,  perhaps 
his  scornful  indifference !  No !  she  would  not 
believe  he  could  feel  this,  for  she  judged  his  truth 
by  her  own  !  Then,  in  her  imagination,  she  heard 
his  loud  and  hasty  demand  for  his  horse  !  she  could 
see  him  on  his  swift  course  towards  Castle  Cor. 
He  approaches !  she  can  almost  hear  his  horse's 
hoofs  in  the  court !  the  next  moment  he  is  kneeling 
at  her  feet  for  forgiveness  !  Wonderful  power  of 
the  imagination  !  How  delightful  to  yield  the  soul 
to  its  influences  when  the  images  it  paints  on  the 
mind  are  all  pleasing  ;  all  as  vivid  as  the  reality 
of  which  they  are  only  the  shadows  !  While  the 
meditative  maiden  is  leaning  from  her  lonely  lattice, 
indulging  her  happy  visions,  the  mind  naturally 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  93 

turns  to  the  adventurous  Grace  and  the  young 
fisher's  lad,  who  was  to  become  the  bearer  of  the 
message  which  should  be  the  magical  instrument 
of  converting  all  these  delightful  dreams  into  re 
ality. 

After  the  attack  upon  his  life  by  the  impetuous 
noble,  taking  advantage  of  the  exciting  scene  that 
followed  between  him  and  Kate  Bellamont,  Mark 
quietly  withdrew  from  the  party,  gained,  unob 
served,  the  path,  and  was  out  of  sight,  far  down 
the  cliff,  before  his  absence  was  discovered.  He 
had  remained  long  enough,  however,  to  witness  the 
disgrace  of  Lester,  and  to  hear  the  indignant  and 
bitter  words  of  the  offended  maiden.  With  a  fleet 
foot  he  reached  the  beach,  hastened  along  the 
shore  to  his  cot,  and,  crossing  its  lonely  threshold, 
cast  himself  upon  a  block  by  the  hearth,  and  bu 
ried  his  face  between  his  hands.  His  heart 
heaved  strongly,  and  he  seemed  to  labour  under 
deep  and  great  emotion.  It  was  clearly  appa 
rent  that  he  was  undergoing  a  severe  mental  strug 
gle,  and  that  the  tide  of  his  life  would  turn  on  the 
issue.  At  length  he  lifted  his  fine  face  and  looked 
around  upon  the  interior  of  his  humble  home; 
poverty  and  its  signs  met  his  eye  wherever  it  fell ! 
His  glance  then  rested  on  his  own  coarse  habili 
ments,  and  he  started  to  his  feet,  and  with  a  lofty 
expression  of  resolution  and  an  air  of  stern  decision, 
said,  half  aloud, 

"This  day  shall  end  my  servitude  to  poverty. 
Because  the  accident  of  birth  has  cast  my  lot  with 
in  these  wretched  walls,  and  made  me  fellow-pris 
oner  with  penury,  therefore  shall  I  not  throw  off 
my  chains  when  I  will?  Have  I  not  a  soul — a 
mind  ?  Do  I  not  think,  feel,  act,  speak,  like  those 
whom  men  call  noble  ?  May  I  not,  in  spite  of 
nature,  yet  become  the  builder  of  my  own  name — 


94  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

the  carver  of  my  own  fortunes  ?  By  the  light  of 
the  bright  sun,  I  will  no  longer  be  the  slave  of  oth 
ers !  the  'lowborn  serf — the  'humble  fisher's  lad' 
— the  peasant,  hind,  and  what  not,  that  means  base 
ness  of  birth  and  degradation  of  soul !  No ;  hence 
forth  I  will  take  my  place  among  the  highest  of 
them  all,  or  leave  my  bones  to  bleach  on  the  sand  !" 

He  paced  the  bare  ground-floor  of  the  wretched 
shed  for  a  few  moments  with  an  energy  of  tread 
and  a  determined  air  that  well  harmonized  with 
his  words.  At  length  he  stopped  short  in  his  ex 
cited  walk;  his  face  assumed  a  gentler  aspect; 
and  in  a  voice  low  and  melancholy,  he  continued, 

"And  this  beauteous  being,  whose  bright  form 
fills  my  dreams  like  a  celestial  visitant;  who  is  in 
all  my  thoughts  ;  whom  to  gaze  upon  at  an  humbfa 
distance  is  bliss ;  whose  voice  strangely  thrills  my 
soul :  her,  for  whom  I  would  lay  down  my  life  ! 
whom  to  make  happy  I  would  forego  all  earthly, 
ay,  future  hopes  of  happiness,  I  am  forbidden  to 
love!  I  cannot  gaze  on  her  without  reproof!  I 
am  denied  the  bliss  of  speaking  to  her  and  lis 
tening  to  the  music  of  her  voice  in  reply  ;  of  attend 
ing  her  in  her  walks  ;  of  sharing  in  her  pursuits 
and  pleasures,  because  I  am  lou^born.  Yes,  I  am 
'  the  poor  fisher's  lad  !'  and  scarce  deemed  worthy  to 
be  her  footman.  My  approach  into  her  presence 
is  rudeness  !  my  adoring  gaze  vulgar  impertinence  ! 
/  am  the  fisher's  lad !  'Tis  not  for  such  to  love 
such  a  glorious  creature  !  Though  his  heart  may 
be  of  the  noblest  mould  ;  his  taste  refined  ;  his 
spirit  proud ;  his  nature  lofty  and  aspiring,  yet 
he  may  not  love  where  love  points  him.  'Tis  not 
for  him  to  place  his'  affections  on  the  gentle  and 
lovely :  on  those  worthy  of  his  heart's  deep  devo 
tion,  and  to  whom  he  can  distribute  the  rich  treasure 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  95 

of  his  love.     He  must  degrade  his  pure  and  sacred 
passion  by  linking  his  fate  with  one  of  his  own 
class,  who  may  never  appreciate  him  ;  or  let  his 
wealth  of  love  exhaust  itself  on  his  own  life,  and 
consume  it  with  its  fire  !     Nevertheless,"  he  added, 
with  a  sparkling  eye,  "  the  fisher's  boy  dares  to  love, 
and  love  high!     Love  knows  no  rank.     I   have 
placed  my  affections  on  a  noble  object,  my  gaze  on 
a  lofty  eyry — and  never  will  I  clip  the  wing  that 
once  has  taken  so  high  and  bold  a  flight.     I  love 
her !  highborn  as  she  is,  I  have  dared  to  send  my 
thoughts   up  to  her !     Yet,  alas  !"   he   continued, 
moodily  folding  his  arms  on  his  breast,  and  speaking 
slowly  and  bitterly,  "  alas  !  what  shall  this  avail  ? 
Will  she  requite  the  daring  love  of  a  peasant  ? 
Will  she  not  scorn — will  she  not  laugh  at  me  ? 
Will  she  listen  to  the  deep  outpourings  of  my  pas 
sion  ?     No,   no,  no!     She   must    mate   with   her 
mates,  and  she  would  bid   me  mate  with  mine ! 
Yet,  may  I  not  rise  above  my  condition,"  he  ex 
claimed,  with  a  glowing  brow  and  flashing  eye ; 
"  may  I  not  win  rank  and  name  that  shall  make 
me  worthy  of  her  ?     Shall  I  stand  here  idle,  and 
see  this  haughty  Lester  bear  away  a  prize  of  which 
he  is  no  more  worthy  than  I  ?     No,  I  will  perish 
first.     From  this  day  I  am  a  man  !     Henceforth 
I  belong  to  no  degree,  no  rank.    I  am  to  choose 
what  I  will  be.     This  hour  I  burst  the  degrading 
fetters  that  chain  me  to  the  class  in  which  birth 
has  cast  me.     From  this  moment  I  am  the  archi 
tect  of  my  own  fortune,  and  I  will  erect  a  temple 
that  men  shall  admire,  or  bury  myself  beneath  its 
ruins  !     The  sea,  on  which  I  have  been  cradled,  is 
open  before  me  like  a  mother's  bosom,  welcoming 
me  to  its  embrace ;  and  on  it,  with  the  aid  of  God 
and  my  own  spirit,  I  will  win  a  name  that  shall  hide 
the  humble  one  I  wear,  and  under  it  yet  lay  at  the 


96  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

feet  of  her,  who  would  scorn  me  under  my  present 
one,  laurels  that  shall  have  made  me  worthy  of  her 
love  !" 

As  he  concluded  his  cheek  was  flushed ;  his 
eye  sparkling ;  his  step  rapid  and  firm  ;  his  counte 
nance  elevated  and  glowing ;  and  he  strode  the  lit 
tle  cabin  as  if  he  was  for  the  moment  all  that  he 
had  resolved  to  be.  He  was  so  lost  in  his  feel 
ings,  so  wrapped  in  the  noble  vision  of  the  future 
his  ambitious  and  ardent  mind  had  pictured,  that 
the  old  fisherman,  who  had  slowly  followed  him 
from  the  cliff,  entered  without  attracting  his  notice. 
The  aged  man  gazed  on  the  animated  and  excited 
youth  with  astonishment,  and  for  a  few  moments 
was  silent  from  surprise.  At  length  he  called  him 
by  name.  He  started,  and  was  for  the  first  time 
sensible  that  he  was  not  alone  : 

"  Well !"  was  the  short,  stern  response. 

"  Do  you  know  who  speaks  to  you,  my  boy  ?" 
asked  the  old  man,  with  mild  reproof. 

•"  Yes  I  do,  my  good  father,"  he  said,  instantly 
resuming  his  wonted  kindness  of  manner,  and  ta 
king  his  hand  ;  "  forgive  me  ;  I  had  forgotten  my 
self!" 

"Do  not  be  angry,  child,  at  this  freak  of  my 
young  lord,"  said  the  old  fisherman,  in  a  tone  ha 
bitual  to  his  class  in  speaking  of  those  above  them ; 
"it  was  but  a  little  outbreak  of  spirit;  and  you 
know  it  is  not  for  the  like  of  us  to  be  angry  at  the 
nobility  for  such  things.  They  are  our  lords,  and 
we  must  do  as  they  will." 

"  And  let  them  take  my  life — ay,  if  they  will, 
make  me  their  slave,  which  is  far  worse  !  Never ! 
'Tis  the  language  of  a  bondman  you  utter,  and  un 
worthy  the  lips  of  manhood  !" 

"  You  talk  as  if  you  was  one  of  the  quality,  boy  ! 
You  will  find  it  different  when  you  get  to  be  as  old 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  97 

as  I  am.  I  have  put  up  with  many  wrongs  in  my 
day  from  gentle  blood." 

"And  have  not  resented  it?"  demanded  the 
youth,  with  spirit. 

"  What  could  a  poor  fisherman  do  ?  Is  it  not 
their  right  to  act  what  they  will  to?  We  poor 
fishermen  have  only  to  pray  to  God  to  give  them 
gentle  wills  towards  us  !" 

"  And  is  this  the  creed  you  would  teach  me  ? 
Debasing,  grovelling,  mean  obedience  to  the  tyr 
anny  of  an  order !  Before  I  do  it,  may  my  hand 
wither  at  the  shoulder,  my  tongue  palsy  in  my 
mouth  !  I  should  indeed  deserve  to  be  a  slave ! 
You  would  forbid  me  to  resent  this  wrong  from  this 
hotheaded  young  noble  ?" 

"  It  will  do  thee  no  good  ;  if  thou  shouldst  take 
his  life,  thou  would st  hang  for't." 

"And,  if  he  should  take  mine  ?" 

"  There  would  be  none  to  avenge  thee,  boy. 
The  judges,  who  are  always  on  the  side  of  the  great, 
would  say  thy  life  was  forfeited  because  thou 
hadst  lifted  thy  hand  against  one  of  the  privileged." 

"  God  !  I  cannot  believe  that  all  men  do  spring 
from  Adam  and  Eve,"  exclaimed  the  youth,  impet 
uously.  "  Father,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's  si 
lence,  speaking  in  a  tone  of  mingled  shame  and 
sorrow,  "  thou  hast,  fortunately,  a  spirit  fitted  to 
thy  station — I  pity  thee  !  For  myself,  I  will  be  no 
man's  serf,  no  lord's  menial !  If  accident  has 
made  me  almost  on  a  level  with  the  brute,  nature 
has  endowed  me  with  the  feelings  of  a  man.  Fa 
ther,  I  leave  you  with  to-morrow's  sun." 

"  My  child  !  my  child  !  what  evil  hath  taken  pos 
session  of  thee  ?"  cried  the  old  man,  holding  him 
by  both  hands. 

"  No  evil,  but  good !  To-morrow  I  go  from 
you  !"  he  replied,  resolutely. 

VOL.  I.— I 


98  CAPTAIN  KYD  ;    OR, 

"And  leave  me  destitute  in  my  old  age,  my 
boy  ?" 

The  youth  was  touched  more  by  the  accent  in 
which  this  was  said  than  by  the  words.  He  bu 
ried  his  face  in  his  hands  and  groaned  aloud  ;  then, 
with  a  sudden  burst  of  filial  affection,  he  cried, 
throwing  himself  upon  his  aged  breast, 

"  No,  no !  I  will  bend  my  neck  to  every  insult, 
rather  than  thou,  my  more  than  father,  shouldst  be 
left  helpless." 

"  Thou  wilt  not  go  away  ?"  reiterated  the  old 
man,  pleadingly,  as  if  doubting  the  sincerity  of  his 
words. 

"Not  while  thou  art  spared  to  me,  beloved 
grandsire.  Thou  hast  protected  my  infancy  and 
youth  !  been  to  me  both  father  and  mother.  If  I 
be  not  a  faithful  son  to  thee,  and  protect  not  thy 
old  age,  may  I  fail  to  attain  the  rank  and  honour 
among  men  to  which  I  aspire,  and  which,  if  pur 
chased  at  the  expense  of  filial  gratitude,  I  should  be 
unworthy  to  wear !" 

"  Bless  thee,  bless  thee,  Mark !"  said  he,  fondly 
embracing  him.  "  Providence  has  made  our  lot  a 
humble  one ;  let  us  submit  to  it  with  obedience. 
Come,  my  boy,  think  no  more  of  it,  but  launch  the 
skiff,  and  bring  home  our  evening  meal  from  the 
vast  storehouse  that  has  ever  fed  us,  and  which 
never  holds  its  life  even  from  the  undeserving.  Go, 
my  son :  on  the  rocking  wave,  and  in  the  silence 
of  the  lone  deep,  your  heart  will  become  calm,  and 
peace  will  return  to  your  soul.  At  such  times  it 
is  that  the  good  and  devout  Christian  is  the  most 
happy !  I  sometimes  think  the  holy  apostles  did 
owe  much  of  the  holy  piety  which  they  possessed 
to  their  lowly  occupation  of  fishers." 

"  They  were  Christians.  You  are  a  Christian, 
father !  I  am  not  one  save  in  name.  Would  to 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  99 

God  I  were  !  perhaps  I  then  might  bear  my  hum 
ble  lot  more  calmly.  Now  farewell  a  while ;  I 
will  be  in  again  ere  the  moon  rises." 

He  rushed  from  the  cabin  with  his  heart  almost 
bursting  in  his  breast,  launched  his  little  bark, 
hoisted  the  frail  latteen  sail,  and  committed  himself 
to  the  deep. 

Seated  in  the  narrow  stern  of  his  fragile  skiff,  the 
thwarts  and  bottom  of  which  were  covered  with 
fishing-lines,  a  dip-net,  and  other  signs  of  his  lowly 
pursuit,  holding  the  rude  tiller  in  one  hand  and  the 
sheet  of  his  narrow  white  sail  in  the  other,  he  shot 
swiftly  out  from  the  shore,  wafted  by  a  light  and 
fitful  wind.  From  habit  he  steered  his  course, 
and  shifted  the  sail  from  side  to  side  to  woo  the 
baffling  airs,  without  giving  his  thoughts  to  his  oc 
cupation.  His  lips  were  compressed  with  thought, 
his  brow  was  set,  and  every  feature  of  his  silent 
face  was  eloquent  with  the  feelings  that  occupied 
his  bosom.  His  mind  was  struggling  between 
filial  affection  and  ambition — between  love  for  the 
highborn  maiden  and  duty  to  his  grandsire.  The 
sufferings  of  the  latter,  who  looked  to  his  labours 
for  his  daily  bread,  were,  if  he  should  desert  him, 
present  and  positive.  The  hopes  connected  with 
the  former  were  altogether  future  and  uncertain. 
Should  he  inflict  a  present  evil  for  a  future  good  ? 
Would  his  filial  attachment  compare  with  his  love  ? 
Which  should  he  sacrifice  ?  He  felt  that  he  could 
not  make  his  grandsire  the  victim,  either  of  his  love 
or  of  his  ambition,  without  the  forfeiture  of  that  fil 
ial  virtue,  wanting  which  he  would  be  unworthy  the 
prize  he  should  incur  this  penalty  to  obtain.  His 
thoughts  became  insupportable  ;  and,  for  a  time, 
he  was  nearly  wrought  up  to  phrensy  by  the  inten 
sity  of  the  mental  conflict.  At  this  crisis,  while 
his  eyes  were  fixed  vacantly  on  the  crisp  waves  as 


100  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

they  went  singing  and  rippling  past  him,  his  bosom 
far  more  disturbed  than  they,  he  was  startled  by  a 
loud,  quick  hail. 

"  Boat  ahoy  !  Helm-a-starboard,  or  you  will  be 
into  us !" 

He  mechanically  obeyed  ;  and,  as  he  looked  up, 
saw  the  dark  hull  of  the  yacht,  that  had  lain  all  day 
at  anchor  in  the  bay,  within  reach  of  his  hand, 
while  his  boat  was  gliding  safely  along  its  side, 
directly  against  which  he  had  been  unconsciously 
steering. 

"You  must  keep  a  look-out,  lad,  how  you  run 
aboard  a  king's  yacht,  or  you  will  stand  a  chance  of 
getting  a  shot  in  your  locker  !"  said  a  gruff,  yet 
good-humoured  voice.  "  But  you  have  a  quick 
ear  and  ready  hand  to  clear  our  counter  as  you  did. 
What  say  you  to  serving  his  majesty,  my  lad  ? 
It's  better  than  catching  herring ;  arid,  then,  many's 
the  younker  of  your  inches  that's  come  in  over  the 
cat-head,  and  afterward  walked  the  quarter-deck 
with  a  brace  of  gold  bobs  on  his  shoulders." 

The  young  fisherman's  ears  greedily  received 
every  word  ;  they  struck  a  chord  within  his  bosom 
that  strongly  vibrated  again.  Involuntarily  he  put 
his  helm  down,  and  brought  his  boat  up  into  the 
wind.  He  looked  longingly  upon  the  vessel's 
deck  ;  measured  the  beautiful  and  light  proportions 
of  her  hull,  and  surveyed  with  delight  the  graceful 
spars,  following  them  with  his  eye  to  their  tapering 
tops,  from  which  gay  flags  streamed  in  the  breeze  : 
he  admired,  apparently  with  all  a  seaman's  gratifi 
cation,  the  tracery  and  interlacing  of  the  neatly-set 
rigging,  and  the  snowy  sails,  some  of  which  were 
hanging  in  festoons  from  the  yards,  while  one  or  two 
lazily  spread  their  broad  white  fields  from  yard  to 
yard  :  he  observed  the  neat  appearance  of  the  men  ; 
their  happy  faces ;  their  frank,  good-humoured 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  101 

manners :  he  thought  over  the  blunt  but  kindly 
offer  he  had  received,  and  his  hopes  whispered, 

"  Fortune  has  opened  this  way  for  me  !  my  des 
tiny  must  be  linked  with  this  vessel !" 

He  then  thought  of  his  father,  and  his  head  drop 
ped  despondingly  on  his  bosom  ;  he  thought  of 
Kate  Bellamont,  and  his  eyes  sparkled,  and  he  felt 
like  bursting  all  filial  ties  and  leaping  at  once  on 
board. 

"  What  say  you,  my  lad,  will  you  ship  ?"  said  the 
man,  observing  his  hesitation  ;  "  I'll  give  you  ten 
rix-dollars  as  bounty." 

"  Now  ?"  he  eagerly  asked,  starting  up  in  his 
boat,  and  extending  his  hands  with  intense  earnest 
ness. 

"  The  instant  you  enter  your  name  on  the  yacht's 
books." 

"  I  will  go  with  you." 

"  Done  !  come  alongside." 

Mark  hesitated  ere  he  obeyed.  Ten  rix-dollars 
had,  at  first,  seemed  to  him  an  inexhaustible  sum  : 
a  moment's  reflection  convinced  him  that  it  would 
not  support  his  grandfather  six  months  without  la 
bour,  for  which  he  was  nearly  unfitted  on  account 
of  his  age.  If,  he  thought,  at  the  end  of  six  months, 
therefore,  he  should  not  be  able  to  return  to  him,  or 
if  his  own  life  should  be  lost  in  the  interim,  would 
not  the  misery  and  want  such  an  event  would  entail 
upon  him  fall  heavy  to  his  charge  ? 

All  this  passed  through  his  mind  as  he  drew  aft 
the  tack  and  pressed  the  tiller  up  to  windward  to 
run  under  the  vessel's  bows.  Instantly  he  shifted 
his  helm,  let  the  sheet  fly  free  to  the  wind,  and 
shot  suddenly  away  in  the  opposite  direction. 

"  He's  off  with  a  flowing  sheet !"  said  one  of  the 
seamen,  laughing. 

"  He's  gone  to  bid  the  old  man  good-by,"  cried 
I  2 


102  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

another ;  "  he'll  be  alongside  before  morning,  kit 
and  kid." 

"  He's  gone  to  take  leave  of  his  lass,"  added  a 
third.  "  A  wise  lad  to  anchor  his  last  night  ashore." 

"  I  wouldn't  lose  him  for  six  months'  pay,"  said 
the  captain  of  the  forecastle,  who  had  first  hailed 
him  ;  "  but  I  am  afraid  we  shall  see  no  more  of 
him  than  what  he  now  shows  us,"  he  added,  sha 
king  his  head,  and  turning  to  pace  the  deck. 

Scarce  hearing,  and  heedless  of  these  character 
istic  remarks,  the  young  fisherman  kept  on  his 
course  seaward  till  he  had  got  a  league  from  the 
land,  when  he  hove  to  and  lowered  his  sail ;  then 
baiting  and  casting  his  lines,  he  plied  his  humble 
task,  his  eyes  the  while  often  fixed  on  the  distant 
towers  of  Castle  Cor,  and  his  thoughts  now  with 
its  fair  inmate,  now  brooding  over  his  own  lowly 
destiny.  When  at  length  the  sun  dipped  the  edge 
of  his  burnished  shield  into  the  sea,  he  for  the  last 
time  drew  in  his  lines,  each  heavy  with  a  fish, 
hoisted  his  sail,  flung  it  broad  to  the  evening  wind 
that  blew  gently  landward,  and,  taking  the  helm, 
steered  towards  home.  But  the  wind  grew  lighter, 
and  soon  came  only  at  intervals  in  "  cat's-paws ;" 
his  progress  was  therefore  slow,  and  he  was  yet  a 
mile  from  the  land  when  it  left  his  sail  altogether. 
Night  came  on,  and  the  moon  rose  above  the  bat 
tlements  of  the  castle,  and  flung  its  scarf  of  sil 
ver  far  out  upon  the  scarcely  dimpled  bay.  From 
time  to  time  he  held  his  open  palm  to  windward, 
in  vain  trying  to  catch  a  passing  current.  He 
threw  back  the  dark  curls  that  clustered  about 
his  forehead,  and  laid  it  bare  to  receive  the  faint 
est  breath  that  might  promise  the  return  of  the 
wind.  But  the  air  was  motionless  !  His  boat 
rose  and  fell  on  the  glassy  undulations,  but  moved 
not  towards  the  shore,  save  by  the  slow  landward 


THE   WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  103 

heave  of  the  sea.  Springing  upon  the  thwarts,  he 
brailed  up  his  sail  and  bound  it  to  the  mast,  and 
then,  bending  to  the  slender  oars,  sent  his  light  skiff 
over  the  water  with  a  speed  that  mocked  the  idle 
winds.  He  soon  got  within  the  dark  shadow  flung 
by  the  cliff  along  the  water  far  beyond  the  land, 
and  run  his  boat  on  the  beach  beside  his  cot.  The 
old  fisherman  welcomed  him  with  a  kindness  that 
not  only  touched  his  heart,  but  rewarded  him  for 
the  sacrifice  he  had  made  on  his  account.  He  also 
assisted  him  in  conveying  the  fish  into  the  hut,  and 
set  about  himself  to  prepare  their  rude  repast. 
Mark  placed  his  oars  in  the  beckets  over  the  door, 
and  walked  out  to  indulge  his  thoughts;  to  brood 
over  his  deferred,  if  not  blasted  hopes  ;  and  to 
struggle  again  and  again  against  the  unfilial  temp 
tations  that  assailed  him.  He  insensibly  wandered 
along  the  beach,  that  sparkled  in  the  moonlight 
like  snow  beneath  his  feet,  until  he  came  to  the  nar 
row  strip  of  sand  that  stretched  beneath  the  over 
hanging  cliff  from  which  he  had  leaped,  and  con 
nected  his  hut  with  the  path  up  the  rocks.  He 
looked  up  to  its  dark  and  terrific  roof,  and  then 
down  into  the  black  pool  at  his  feet,  and  a  half- 
formed  wish  that  he  had  never  risen  again  from  its 
silent  depths,  escaped  him. 

"  That  I  had  perished,  ere  life  had  been  pre 
served  to  be  dragged  out  in  this  miserable  servi 
tude,"  he  said  aloud.  "What  is  life  to  me?  Its 
refined  joys  ;  its  courtly  pleasures  ;  its  fair  forms  ; 
its  wealth  ;  its  honours  !  This  is  my  world — these 
slimy  rocks — this  lonely  bay  ;  yonder  hut  my 
palace,  and  to  fish  for  daily  sustenance  my  pastime. 
This  is  my  life — this  my  universe  !  What  have  I 
to  do  with  aught  beyond  it  ?  The  world  was  made 
for  others,  not  for  me — not  for  the  peasant  boy ! 


104  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

No,  no !  Madness !  Must  I  endure  this  ?"  he 
cried,  with  fierce  impatience.  "  Filial  love,  filial 
gratitude,  how  bitter,  bitter  are  ye  !" 

He  struck  his  forehead  violently,  and  turned  on 
the  belt  of  sand  with  a  fevered  step.  Suddenly  he 
felt  a  touch  on  his  shoulder,  as  light  as  if  a  fairy's 
foot  had  lit  upon  it.  He  started,  and,  turning  quick 
ly  round,  beheld  a  female,  enveloped  in  a  hood  and 
cloak,  standing  immediately  behind  him.  The 
grace  of  her  attitude,  and  the  easy  decision  of  her 
whole  manner,  assured  him  that  she  was  not  low 
born.  His  heart  would  have  whispered  the  name 
that  was  enshrined  in  it,  but  the  figure  was  not  tall 
enough  for  hers.  With  an  instinctive  conscious 
ness  that  he  was  in  the  presence  of  rank  and  beauty, 
to  which,  in  this  union,  his  independent  spirit  never 
refused  to  do  homage,  he  doffed  his  cap,  and  ad 
dressed  her  with  that  native  grace  and  dignity 
which  characterized  him  : 

"  Lady,  seek  you  aught  in  which  I  can  aid  you, 
that  you  have  come  to  the  seaside  at  this  lonely 
hour?" 

The  moon  shone  full  on  his  youthful  features, 
which  were  shaded  with  locks  of  dark-flowing 
hair,  parted  across  his  high,  pale  forehead,  and  de 
scending  to  his  shoulder.  She  gazed  for  an  in 
stant,  ere  she  replied,  on  his  youthful  face,  on  each 
lineament  of  which  his  bold  character  was  written, 
while  his  ardent  spirit  spoke  eloquently  in  every 
look.  As  he  bent  forward  to  catch  her  answer, 
with  his  bonnet  in  his  hand,  the  cloud  had  vanished 
from  his  brow  before  the  supposed  presence  of 
youth  and  beauty,  and  his  deferential  manner,  so 
opposite  to  his  former  bearing,  seemed  to  inspire 
her  with  confidence. 

'*  My  business  is  with  you  alone,  Mark  !"  spoke, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  105 

from  beneath  the  shaded  hood,  the  sweet,  hesitating 
voice  of  Grace  Fitzgerald,  intuitively  shrinking 
within  the  shadow  of  the  cliff  as  she  addressed 
him,  just  out  of  which,  in  the  full  light  of  the  moon, 
the  young  fisherman  himself  stood. 

"  Lady  Grace  !"  he  exclaimed,  with  surprise,  as 
her  voice  fell  on  his  ear. 

"  Grace  Fitzgerald,  in  body  and  spirit,"  said  she, 
with  her  usual  gayety. 

"  Can  the  highborn  heiress  of  Earl  Fitzgerald  be 
served  by  one  so  humble  ?"  he  asked,  in  a  tone 
slightly  tinged  with  his  former  gloomy  humour. 

She  seemed  to  be  at  a  loss,  for  a  moment,  how 
to  reply,  scarcely  knowing  in  what  way  to  inter 
pret  his  words.  At  length  she  said,  advancing 
frankly  towards  him, 

"I  have  not  come  to  command  your  services, 
Mark,  but  to  beg  of  you  a  favour;  to  ask  you  to 
execute  a  mission  of  delicacy,  that  can  be  intrusted 
to  no  one  so  well  as  yourself." 

The  frank  and  kind  manner  in  which  she  spoke, 
the  graceful  propriety  with  which  she  overstepped 
the  barrier  of  caste  that  separated  them,  sensibly 
affected  him.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had  been 
so  addressed  by  those  above  him  in  birth  and  sta 
tion  ;  the  first  time  his  services  had  not  been  de 
manded  as  a  right  by  those  who  needed  them. 

Her  suavity  and  condescension  of  manner  were 
perhaps  prompted  by  the  remembrance  of  the  out 
rage  he  had  received  at  Lester's  hands,  and  by  a 
knowledge  of  his  intrepidity,  and  of  his  pride  of 
spirit,  which  she  knew  to  be  chafed  and  goaded 
by  the  insults  inseparable  from  his  station.  She 
therefore  generously  wished  to  sooth  and  bind  up 
his  injured  feelings.  She  had,  too,  her  own  notions 
of  what  constitutes  true  nobility ;  and  it  is  plain, 


106  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

from  her  conversation  with  Kate,  that  she  was  less 
governed  by  the  social  canons  which  regulate  such 
things,  and  was  infinitely  more  of  a  democrat  than 
her  haughty  and  beautiful  cousin.  That  her  heart 
had  anything  to  do  in  the  matter,  though  Mark 
was  so  handsome,  so  gentle,  and  so  brave  withal, 
cannot  be  supposed ;  inasmuch  as  the  little  god 
seldom  ensconces  himself  behind  a  peajacket  to 
take  aim  at  a  heart  mailed  beneath  a  silken  spencer. 
But,  then,  Cupid  is  very  blind,  and,  besides,  is  so 
given  to  odd  whims,  that  but  little  calculation  can 
be  made  as  to  the  direction  from  which  his  shafts 
will  fly. 

"  Command  me.  lady,"  he  replied,  with  grateful 
emotion,  as  she  concluded. 

"  Are  you  angry  with  Lord  Robert  ?"  she  asked, 
falteringly. 

"  Can  I  forgive  him  ?" 

"  But  you  will  forgive  him — foi — for — the  sake 
of — my  cousin  Kate!" 

"  If  she  were  to  bid  me  kiss  his  hand,  I  would  not 
refuse  her,"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  sudden  glow  of 
animation. 

Grace  sighed,  and  was  for  a  moment  silent ;  for 
she  plainly  saw  that  her  influence  had  but  little 
weight  in  this  quarter  in  comparison  with  her  cous 
in's.  She  then  took  the  locket  from  the  folds  of 
her  cloak,  and  said,  in  a  very  slightly  mortified  tone, 

"  It  is  her  wish  that  you  bear  this  token  of  her 
forgiveness  to  Lord  Robert.  You  will  see  that  it 
is  tied  with  a  braid  of  her  own  hair  /" 

(Was  there  not  a  spice  of  feminine  pique  in  this 
last  clause,  lady  ?) 

"  Bear  this  from  her  to  him .?"  he  inquired,  in  a 
voice  trembling  with  emotion. 

"  Yes." 

"  Never !"  replied  he,  with  vehemence. 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  107 

"Mark!"  she  said,  in  a  tone  of  gentle  reproof, 
placing  her  hand  lightly  upon  his  arm. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  said,  hastily,  "  but — but — " 
His  voice  choked  for  utterance.  "  Oh  God  !  Lady 
Grace,"  he  suddenly  cried,  with  an  outbreak  of  ter 
rible  and  ungovernable  emotion,  "  you  know  not 
what  it  is  to  be — to  be — "  Here  his  feelings  were 
too  strong  to  be  controlled,  and,  turning  his  face 
from  her,  he  gave  way  to  a  paroxysm  of  the  wildest 
grief. 

She  stood  by  in  silence  !  She  appreciated  fully 
his  feelings,  for  she  had  overheard  the  soliloquy  he 
gave  utterance  to  before  he  had  become  aware  of 
her  presence.  She  knew  what  he  was  and  what 
he  aspired  to  be,  and  how  deeply  his  degrada 
tion  preyed  upon  him.  She  sympathized  with 
him  with  her  whole  heart;  and  with  her  sympa 
thy  there  entered  into  her  breast  another  emotion, 
which  in  woman's  heart  is  so  nearly  allied  to  love, 
namely,  gentle  pity  !  When  she  saw  that  the  first 
strong  tide  of  his  feelings  had  in  some  degree  sub 
sided,  in  a  voice  so  full  of  what  she  felt  that  it 
touched  all  the  finer  sensibilities  of  his  nature,  and 
seemed  to  breathe  peace  throughout  his  soul,  still 
ing  every  billow  of  passion,  she  said  to  him, 

"  Mark,  I  do  pity  you  from  my  heart !  I  know 
you  are  not  fitted  by  nature  for  the  state  to  which 
you  were  born.  But  to  the  bold  spirit  and  deter 
mined  will  there  is  a  wide  road  open  to  distinction ; 
and  in  it  men,  humble  as  yourself,  have  won  hon 
ourable  renown,  in  the  splendour  of  which  the  mere 
accident  of  their  birth  has  been  lost.  The  same 
road  to  honour  lies  open  before  you !" 

The  vivid  eloquence,  the  animation  of  voice,  the 
spirited  manner,  and  the  lofty  energy  of  look  with 
which  this  was  spoken,  united  with  the  depth  and 
sincerity  of  her  interest  in  him,  which  she  disdained 


108  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

to  disguise,  language  can  inadequately  express. 
Its  effect  on  him  was  electrical.  He  sprang  for 
ward,  knelt  at  her  feet,  seized  her  hand,  and,  in 
the  fulness  of  his  heart,  pressed  it  gratefully  to  his 
lips.  She  withdrew  it  in  confusion,  and  he  in 
stantly  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  overcome  with 
the  painful  feeling  of  having  offended.  She  was 
the  first  to  speak. 

"  Mark,  bear  this  packet  to  Lord  Robert ;  de 
liver  it  into  his  own  hand,  and  immediately  leave 
him,  so  that  you  give  him  no  opportunity  of  renew 
ing  his  feud.  In  the  morning,  on  the  earl's  return 
from  Kinsale,  come  to  the  castle,  and  I  will  repre 
sent  your  case  to  him." 

"  Dear  lady,  I  will  leave  this  message  for  you  at 
Castle  More ;  but  pardon  me  if  I  decline  your  of 
fer  to  serve  me !" 

"  Then  cousin  Kate  shall  make  it,"  she  said, 
good-humouredly. 

"  Forgive  me,  but  it  will  be  still  more  firmly  de 
clined." 

Grace  was  puzzled;  and  half  sportively,  half 
sincerely,  it  entered  her  thoughts  that  she  had 
played  her  hand  well  if  already,  as  his  words 
seemed  to  imply,  she  had  found  more  favour  in  the 
young  fisherman's  eyes  than  her  cousin.  But,  all 
at  once,  the  thought  flashed  upon  her  mind  that  it 
was  alone  the  pride  of  love  that  led  him  to  refuse 
any  favour  at  her  cousin's  hands. 

"  You  mean,"  she  said  in  revenge,  smiling  as  she 
spoke,  "  that  you  dislike  my  cousin  Kate  so  much 
that  you  will  not  receive  any  kindness  at  her 
hands." 

"  If  such  could  be  inferred  from  my  words,  I  re 
call  every  letter  of  them,"  he  said,  with  an  ear 
nestness  that  amused  her. 

"  I  will  then  speak  for  you  to  my  uncle." 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA,  109 

"  Lady,  you  will  think  me  very  ungrateful,"  he 
replied,  "  but—" 

"  But  you  will  take  no  favour  from  the  father  of 
Kate  Bellamont.  Really,  my  cousin  is  compli 
mented." 

He  was  embarrassed  by  the  light  in  which  she 
seemed  to  take  his  words,  and,  in  attempting  to  ex 
plain,  involved  himself  still  deeper, 

"  Do  not  be  distressed ;  I  perfectly  understand 
you,  Mark,"  she  said,  with  a  laugh  that  relieved 
him.  "  Will  you  be  obliged  to  me  ?" 

"  Pardon  me  if  I  say  no !"  he  answered,  grate 
fully  but  firmly.  "  No,  lady,"  he  added,  in  a  grate* 
ful  tone  of  voice,  yet  sadly,  "I  must  work  out 
brighter  fortunes  for  myself  by  my  own  energies." 

"  I  admire  your  independence.  But,  if  you  should 
need  my — I  would  say,  the  assistance  of  any  one- 
will  you  remember  Grace  Fitzgerald  ?" 

He  did  not  reply  ;  his  heart  was  swelling,  but 
he  laid  his  hand  upon  his  bosom  with  an  eloquent 
gesture  that  conveyed  more  than  words. 

"  Enough !"  she  said,  touched  with  his  impres 
sive  manner.  "  I  shall  ever  be  ready  to  do  for  you 
all  that  can  advance  you  to  name  and  rank ;  and 
for  your  own  sake,  for  the  sake  of — "  here  she 
paused  with  embarrassment,  and  then  added,  "  those 
who  take  an  interest  in  you,  it  becomes  you  to  rise 
from  this  humble  station,  and  win  for  yourself  a 
name  and  station  among  men.  Do  not  forget  that 
the  proudest  names  in  England  sprang  from  the 
lowest  rank.  My  own  maternal  ancestor  was  a 
favourite  groom  of  William  the  Conqueror,  who, 
for  his  prowess  in  a  certain  battle,  knighted  and 
parcelled  out  to  him  an  equal  division  of  land  with 
his  own  knightly  companions  in  arms.  Shall  I  not 
yet  hear  of  you  with  pride  ?"  she  added,  extending 
her  hand  to  him  with  characteristic  frankness. 

VOL.  I.— K 


110  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Lady,"  he  said,  with  animation,  "  if  ever  a  low 
born  youth,  who  would  rise  above  his  adverse  for 
tunes,  had  cause  to  go  forward,  have  I.  The  mem 
ory  of  your  words  will  shine  like  a  star  of  hope 
to  guide  me  through  the  future.  God  help  me ! 
Lady  Grace,  you  shall  never  blush  with  shame 
for  him  in  whose  fate  you  this  night  have  shown 
an  interest,"  he  continued,  with  emotion.  "For 
your  sake  I  will  achieve  whatever  man  can  ac 
complish." 

"  And  will  you  do  nothing  for  my  poor  cousin's 
sake  ?"  she  asked,  significantly,  and  in  a  tone  of 
raillery,  not  able,  even  at  such  a  time,  to  subdue 
altogether  her  natural  temperament. 

"  There  is  little  hope  that  one  so  humble  is  ever 
in  her  thoughts,"  he  replied,  doubting,  yet  half  be 
lieving. 

"  Little  hope,  I  fear,  while  Lester  lives,"  she 
said,  smiling.  "  But  think  not  of  her — think  not  of 
love  now,"  continued  she,  with  animation ;  "  let  hon 
our  be  your  idol,  and  woo  fame  alone  as  your  bride. 
There  are  some — there  is  one,  Mark,  who  would 
rather  see  you  honoured  and  ennobled  by  your  own 
hand  than — than — but  no  matter,  I  have  already 
said  too  much.  Kate  will  have  good  reason  to 
suspect  I  had  cause  to  come  alone,"  she  said,  men 
tally,  "if  I  linger  here  longer;"  she  then  added 
aloud, 

"  Fly,  Mark,  with  this  message.  If  you  would 
serve  me,  bear  it  safely  ;  if  you  would  do  my  cousin 
Kate  a  favour,  bear  it  quickly ;  and,  lastly,  for  your 
own  sake,  get  into  no  quarrel." 

They  had  insensibly  walked  along  while  speak 
ing,  and  were  now  at  the  foot  of  the  path  by  which 
she  had  descended  to  the  beach. 

Mark  took  the  packet  from  her  hand,  and,  as  he 
did  so,  pressed  it  with  an  air  of  native  gallantry 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  Ill 

blended  with  gratitude,  greatly  to  her  not  unpleas- 
urable  surprise  and  confusion,  and  then  hastened 
at  a  rapid  pace  along  the  beach  in  the  direction  of 
Castle  More.  She  followed  him  for  a  few  mo 
ments  with  her  eyes,  and  then,  sighing  uncon 
sciously  (for  it  is  in  vain  longer  to  disguise  the  in 
terest  she  felt  in  the  interesting  fisher's  lad),  as 
cended  the  steep  path  and  safely  gained  the  castle, 
where,  still  at  her  lattice  waiting  her  return,  she 
found  her  cousin,  to  whom  forthwith  she  commu 
nicated  her  success. 

With  a  swift  tread  Mark  traversed  the  curving 
shore  till  he  had  left  a  full  league  between  him 'and 
the  spot  where  he  had  separated  from  Grace  Fitz 
gerald.  Then  striking  into  a  path  that  led  inland, 
he  followed  it  with  undiminished  speed,  and  with  a 
light  and  confident  step,  that  showed  his  familiari 
ty  with  every  intricate  winding  of  his  moonlit,  way. 

How  often  he  pressed  to  his  adoring  lips  the 
locket  of  hair  that  secured  the  billet ;  how  often  he 
paused  to  read  over  and  over  again,  by  the  light  of 
the  moon,  the  delicate  characters  traced  by  the 
pencil  her  fingers  had  guided,  let  each  one  that 
has  loved  enumerate  for  himself.  As  he  went 
along,  he  could  not  help  revolving  in  his  mind  the 
manner  of  Grace  Fitzgerald,  and  asking  himself  a 
hundred  times  if  she  could  mean  anything;  and 
when  it  could  not  be  concealed  from  his  penetra 
ting  mind  that  she  did  mean  something,  or  affected 
to  do  so — the  wish  rose  to  his  lips  that  Kate  Bel- 
lamont  had  been  in  her  place.  Yet  the  very  next 
moment,  so  contradictory  is  love,  he  congratulated 
himself  that  she  was  not,  feeling  that  he  should 
never  have  had  the  courage  to  meet  her  face  to 
face  alone,  as  he  had  met  her  cousin.  Love  sure 
ly  endows  his  votaries  with  a  singular  union  of 
boldness  and  timidity  !  Your  lover  is  either  an  ar- 


112  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

rant  coward  or  a  lion,  and  sometimes  he  is  both  in 
one,  as  he  happens  to  be  in  or  out  of  his  mistress's 
presence. 

At  length  he  came  in  sight  of  an  ancient  and  ex 
tensive  ruin  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  and  was 
picking  his  way  among  the  fallen  fragments,  along 
which  his  road  wound,  when  he  was  startled  by  the 
sound  of  horses'  feet  coming  from  the  direction  of 
Castle  More ;  the  moment  afterward,  he  saw,  by 
the  light  of  the  moon,  two  horsemen  emerge  from 
the  wood,  and  rapidly  approach  the  ruin.  He  in 
stinctively  drew  to  one  side  of  the  path  to  escape 
observation,  when  he  heard  one  of  them  utter  an 
exclamation  of  surprise ;  both  then  suddenly  reined 
up,  and,  from  the  sound  of  a  third  voice,  they  ap 
peared  to  be  holding  conversation  with  some  one 
they  had  unexpectedly  encountered. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

*'  Away,  away  my  steed  and  I 
Upon  the  pinions  of  the  wind  !" 

Mazeppa. 

"  Thou  false  fiend,  thou  liest ! 
I  do  defy — deny — spurn  back  and  scorn  ye  !" 

"  That  thus  a  son  should  stand  and  hear 
The  tale  of  his  disgrace." 

BYRON. 

THE  indignant  Lester,  to  whom  Vhe  story  now 
reverts,  had  no  sooner  left  the  presence  of  Kate 
Bellamont  and  the  field  of  archery,  than  he  has 
tened  to  the  stables,  saddled  his  horse  with  his  own 
hand,  and  threw  himself  across  his  back.  Then, 
turning  his  head  northward  towards  Castle  More, 
he  gave  him  the  rein,  and,  without  forming  any 
definite  aim  or  object,  but  goaded  onward  simply 


THE    WIZARD   OP   THE    SEA.  113 

by  the  fiery  impetus  of  his  feelings,  with  a  feverish 
desire  to  leave  far  behind  the  scene  of  his  disgrace, 
rode  away  at  full  speed. 

His  thoughts  were  dark  and  confused  ;  his  heart 
full ;  his  spirit  sore !  He  looked  neither  to  the 
right  nor  left,  and  gave  backward  glance  to  turret 
nor  lattice — for  he  was  all  unskilled  in  that  book  of 
riddles,  woman's  heart !  and  what  hope  then  had 
he,  that  he  should  turn  his  head  for  beck  or  signal 
of  return  ?  If  he  had  been  a  little  more  experi 
enced,  or  somewhat  better  read  in  this  book  of 
mysteries,  where  every  line  of  the  text  is  contradict 
ed  by  a  page  of  annotations,  he  might  have  known 
that  a  signal  would  have  been  flying  for  him — at 
the  very  last  moment !  But,  alas  for  poor  Kate 
Bellamont !  alas  for  both  !  her  voice,  and  the  wave 
of  her  snowy  arm  were  alike  in  vain !  He  rode 
onward,  seeing,  feeling,  being  conscious  of  nothing 
save  his  own  deep  disgrace  and  misery ;  and  at 
each  fierce  pang  that  reflection  inflicted,  he  buried 
his  spurs  deep,  and  dashed  forward  as  if  he  would 
fly  from  his  thoughts,  or  find  relief  from  them  in 
swift  motion. 

The  forest  into  which  he  rode,  and  in  the  depths 
of  which  he  disappeared  from  the  earnest  gaze  of 
Kate  Bellamont,  was  very  ancient  and  of  great  ex 
tent,  and  intersected  by  many  roads  winding  in  all 
directions  through  its  dark  bosom  :  it  was  inhabited 
chiefly  by  woodsmen  and  foresters,  but  contained, 
besides,  two  solitary  hunting-lodges,  a  league  asun 
der,  appertaining  to  the  contiguous  estates  of  Bel 
lamont  and  Castle  More.  At  the  northern  termi 
nation  of  this  wood,  two  leagues  distant  from  Castle 
Cor,  on  the  crest  of  a  rock  that  overhung  a  small 
woodland  lake  or  mere,  was  situated  Castle  More  ; 
a  single  square  tower,  with  a  low  turret  rising  at 
each  angle,  and  defended  on  the  inland  side  by  a 
K  2 


114  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

high  wall  with  bastions  and  a  deep  moat.  It  was, 
at  the  date  of  this  narrative,  the  abode  of  Lady  Les 
ter,  the  widow  of  General  Lord  Lester,  who  had 
fallen  a  few  years  before  while  gallantly  fighting 
in  Spain.  Since  his  death  she  had  withdrawn 
herself  from  the  sphere  of  the  court,  and  excluded 
herself  almost  altogether  from  society;  devoting 
her  time  to  the  performance  of  the  severe  religious 
duties  usually  imposed  by  the  Catholic  church 
only  on  religieuses,  and  to  the  observance  of  rigor 
ous  and  frequent  fasts ;  and  it  was  rumoured  that 
she  even  inflicted  upon  herself  painful  penance 
with  rods,  and  slept  through  Lent  in  a  crown  of 
thorns.  In  these  austerities  her  friends,  and,  also, 
sensible  and  discreet  people,  saw  only  the  diseased 
melancholy  of  a  widowed  wife  who  had  been 
fondly  devoted  to  her  departed  lord,  rinding  relief, 
as  woman's  sorrow  often  will,  in  a  life  of  religious 
seclusion.  But  the  suspicious  and  evil  disposed, 
the  humble  labourer  and  marvel-loving  hind,  saw 
in  her  stern  religious  life  only  painful  penance  for 
crimes  committed  in  early  life,  and  were  wont  to 
shake  their  heads  and  lower  their  voices  whenever 
the  "Dark  Lady  of  the  Rock"  was  named. 

But,  notwithstanding  her  austere  life,  Lady  Les 
ter  was  not  indifferent  J,o  the  claims  of  young  Lord 
Robert.  Her  heart  had  been  wrapped  up  in  the 
high-spirited  boy  from  his  childhood;  and  as  he 
grew  in  stature  and  grace,  next  to  her  graven  im 
ages,  she  worshipped  him.  Unrestrained  by  pa 
ternal  fear,  and  indulged  by  Lady  Lester  in  every 
idle  wish,  he  grew  up  to  the  age  of  seventeen  with 
a  spirit  that  never  had  been  curbed ;  with  a  tem 
per  that  never  had  known  a  check.  Though  by 
nature  of  a  generous  and  noble  disposition,  as  the 
unavoidable  result  of  such  a  course,  he  was  the 
slave  of  passion  and  the  victim  of  self-impulse ; 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  115 

with  the  will  to  act  justly,  but  without  the  power 
to  guide  that  will :  like  a  noble  bark  that  has  lost 
its  rudder  and  is  driven  furiously  along  by  its  out 
spread  sails,  which,  managed  by  skill  and  discipline, 
might  yet  become  the  instruments  of  its  safety,  to 
irremediable  shipwreck  and  ruin.  If  educated  at 
all,  he  was  taught  to  regard  all  the  retainers  of  his 
vast  estates  as  vassals ;  beings  of  meaner  mould ; 
a  race  of  mortals  who  had  somehow  smuggled 
themselves  into  existence  long  after  Adam  founded 
his  ancient  family — poachers  on  the  world's  ma 
nor — now  doomed,  for  their  punishment,  to  crawl 
as  slaves  on  the  earth  they  had  dared  to  come  upon 
unbidden.  He  was  taught  to  regard  all  unnoble  as 
ignoble ;  and  to  consider  them  as  an  inferior  and 
secondary  race,  and  only  created  to  be  subservient 
to  the  will  of  those  of  his  caste  and  rank.  With 
such  notions  he  became  haughty  and  arrogant,  and 
cherished  a  spirit  of  pride  of  birth,  combined  with 
a  jealousy  of  his  privileges,  that  at  all  times  was 
sufficiently  prompt  to  show  itself. 

With  two  such  opposite  characters  ;  a  generous 
and  just  one — the  gift  of  nature  ;  an  imperious  and 
haughty  one — the  result  of  education,  he  was  as 
uncertain  as  the  wind,  variable  as  the  evening 
cloud.  There  was  but  one  mind  that  could  control 
his ;  one  spirit  to  whose  power  his  own  would  bend ; 
but  one  voice  that  could  act  upon  his  passions  with 
a  gentle  influence,  and,  with  a  word,  chase  the 
darkest  cloud  from  his  brow,  even  as  the  harp  of 
the  youthful  minstrel  banished  the  gloomy  spirit  of 
evil  from  the  soul  of  Saul !  This  potent  person 
was  Kate  Bellamont :  the  wand  she  used,  Cupid's 
magical  bow.  By  its  aid  she  brought  his  haughty 
will  in  subjection  to  her  own  mild  sway,  and  con 
verted  the  lion  into  the  lamb.  She  had  been  his 
playfellow  from  childhood;  they  had  strolled,  fish 
ed,  hunted,  boated  together.  Others  might  be  in 


116  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

company,  but  somehow  Kate  and  Robert  seemed 
to  be  attracted  to  each  other  by  a  mysterious  affin 
ity  :  if  they  fished,  he  baited  her  hook  and  took  off 
the  fish  when  she  caught  them ;  if  there  was  a 
ramble,  they  were  certain  to  stray  off  together  and 
lose  themselves  in  the  forest,  and  always  were 
the  last  back  to  the  castle ;  if  there  was  a  party  to 
sail  on  the  mere,  Robert  and  Kate  were  sure  to  be 
seated  near  each  other  ! 

By-and-by  they  began  to  advance  into  their 
teens :  when  Kate  got  to  be  fifteen,  she  began  to 
grow  very  shy  of  her  playfellow;  would  not  let 
him  kiss  her  as  he  was  wont ;  nor  ramble  with 
her  his  arm  encircling  her  little  round  waist.  She 
ceased  running  races  with  him,  and  began  to  call 
him  "  Lord  Robert ;"  and  would  blush  if  he  hap 
pened  to  turn  and  catch  her  eye  fixed  musingly 
upon  his  face.  Robert  himself  also  began  to 
show  signs  of  change.  He  grew  diffident  and 
silent  in  her  company ;  looked  at  her  for  a  long 
time  together  without  saying  a  word ;  then  would 
turn  away  and  sigh,  and  look  again,  and  sigh  again. 
He  became  less  violent,  less  frequently  angry  ;  his 
voice  became  gentle  and  subdued  :  and  he  began 
to  show  signs  of  fear  in  her  presence,  and  trem 
bled  if  she  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm,  which,  of  late, 
she  was  very  careful  not  to  do.  Indeed,  there  is 
no  describing  half  the  signs  by  which  their  progress 
from  the  playmate  state  of  chrysalis  to  the  lovemate 
state  of  ripe  youth  was  marked.  Robert  Lester 
very  soon  found  that  he  was  very  unhappy  away 
from  Kate,  and  very  happy  in  her  presence.  The 
maiden,  on  her  part,  was  not  long  in  discovering 
that  the  days  were  very  long  when  Robert  did  not 
visit  Castle  Cor,  and  that  she  thought  of  him, 
somehow,  a  great  deal  more  than  she  used  to  do. 
It  evidently  was  very  clear  that  she  loved  to  look 
from  the  battlement  of  the  tower  at  the  four  distant 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  117 

turrets  on  the  top  of  Castle  More,  when  he  was 
away,  much  oftener  than  she  had  done  the  year  be 
fore.  Things  went  on  in  this  manner,  though  from 
worse  to  worse,  till  about  a  week  before  Kate's 
sixteenth  birthday,  when  it  chanced  that  she  and 
her  quondam  playfellow  were  riding  slowly  home 
ward,  after  an  unsuccessful  pursuit  of  a  stag,  which, 
after  having  led  them  within  a  mile  of  Castle  More, 
doubled  and  turned  upon  its  track  towards  the  south, 
and  plunged  into  a  morass  not  far  from  Castle  Cor ; 
so,  as  night  was  approaching,  they  had  given  up 
the  pursuit,  and  turned  their  horses'  heads  towards 
the  castle. 

They  had  been  slowly  riding  side  by  side  for 
some  time,  breathing  their  horses,  neither  speaking 
a  word,  but  occasionally  exchanging  timid  side- 
glances  in  the  way  young  people  sometimes  do 
without  lifting  their  eyelids.  If  by  chance  their  eyes 
met,  both  instantly  averted  their  heads,  switched 
their  horses,  or  plucked  a  leaf;  but,  in  a  few  sec 
onds,  their  heads  would  gradually  come  round,  the 
pupil  of  the  eyes  steal  into  the  corners  and  again 
meet,  causing  a  second  time  very  great  embarrass 
ment,  and  very  guilty  colouring  of  cheek  and  brow, 
as  if  each  had  been  detected  by  the  other  in  some 
crime.  So  they  rode  together  in  this  pleasant  man 
ner  for  full  half  a  mile  ;  and  one  would  believe,  from 
their  silence  and  the  wide  space  they  guardedly 
preserved  between  each  other,  that  they  had  quar 
relled.  But  their  countenances,  though  grave,  look 
ed  too  happy  and  sentimental  for  that ;  besides,  a 
slight  smile,  or,  rather,  just  the  soft  reflection  of 
one,  played  about  their  mouths.  This  for  several 
weeks  past  had  been  precisely  their  bearing  towards 
one  another  whenever  they  happened  to  be  alone 
together ;  but,  when  in  the  presence  of  others,  they 
both  gave  way  to  the  highest  tone  of  gayety  and 
spirits.  It  was  all  very  strange,  very  ! 


118  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

The  lover  at  length  looked  ahead,  and  saw, 
through  an  opening  in  the  forest,  the  towers  of  Cas 
tle  Cor  not  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.  He  invol 
untarily  reined  in  his  horse,  and  looked  full  in  Kate's 
face  ;  his  lips  parted  ;  he  essayed  to  speak,  but  his 
voice  adhered  to  his  jaws.  So  he  gasped,  sighed, 
and  laid  his  hand  eloquently  on  his  heart.  Kate  also 
saw  the  towers,  and  reined  up  at  the  same  moment 
he  did ;  looked  demurely  on  the  ground,  and  then, 
as  if  she  had  nothing  better  to  do,  let  fall  her  riding 
whip,  notwithstanding  she  had  to  untie  it  from  her 
wrist  to  do  so.  Instantly  Lord  Robert  threw  him 
self  from  his  saddle,  giving  the  bridle  a  slight  shake 
as  his  foot  left  the  stirrup,  a  hint  which  the  sagacious 
animal  obeyed  by  bounding  off  towards  the  stables, 
and  took  it  from  the  ground ;  then  blushingly,  and 
with  a  conscious  look,  as  if  contemplating  a  daring 
deed,  he  presented  it  to  her.  As,  with  averted  eyes, 
she  extended  her  hand  for  it,  he  placed  in  it  trem 
blingly,  instead  of  the  whip,  his  own  hand.  She  nei 
ther  started  nor  turned  her  head,  but  her  young  bo 
som  rose  and  fell  quick,  and  he  thought  the  hand 
fluttered  with  a  new  pulsation  as  it  lay  in  his.  She 
did  not  withdraw  it.  He  grew  confident,  and 
slightly,  very  slightly,  pressed  a  finger.  Thereupon 
the  little  hand  only  throbbed  the  quicker.  He 
pressed  two,  then  three  fingers,  and  then,  with  a 
boldness  that  grew  with  the  occasion,  he  folded  the 
soft,  gloved  hand  all  in  his  own.  The  next  mo 
ment  he  coloured  with  conscious  guilt,  and  looked 
up  into  her  face  as  if  about  to  throw  himself  upon 
her  mercy.  But  she  was  so  intently  watching  the 
rich  dies  of  a  sunset  cloud  that  she  evidently  did 
not  know  what  he  was  about ;  so,  instead  of  asking 
pardon  and  looking  very  sad,  he  put  on  a  very 
nappy  countenance,  and,  ever  and  anon  casting  his 
glance  upward  to  her  face,  began,  little  by  little,  to 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  119 

draw  off  her  glove.  But,  as  she  made  no  demon 
strations  of  being  aware  of  what  he  was  doing, 
he  pulled  the  glove  quite  off.  For  an  instant  he  held 
it  suspended,  while  he  stole  a  very  doubtful  glance 
into  her  half-averted  face ;  the  next  moment  the 
warm,  snowy  hand  was  pressed  between  his  own, 
and  then,  growing  bolder  apace,  he  began  to  cover  it 
with  kisses.  Hereupon  the  maiden  slowly  turned 
her  head  and  looked  down  at  the  bold  youth  with  a 
look  that  she  doubtless  meant  to  be  a  reproving 
one ;  he  cast  his  eyes  to  the  ground,  still  holding 
the  quiet  hand  nestled  between  both  his  own,  and 
said,  in  a  soft  whisper, 

"  Kate !" 

"  Robert !"  was  the  equally  gentle  suspiration  in 
reply. 

"  Are  you  angry  ?" 

"  I  ought  to  be." 

"  Then  you  are  not  ?"  was  the  half-joyful,  half- 
doubting  interrogation. 

"  No,"  was  breathed  in  accents  so  very  gentle 
that  it  was  conveyed  to  him  by  the  movements  of 
the  lips  alone. 

"  Shall  we  walk  to  the  castle  ?" 

"  Yes." 

And  the  young  lady,  studiously  avoiding  his  eyes, 
was  gently  and  passively  assisted  to  the  ground ; 
as  she  touched  it,  his  arm  glided  about  her  taper 
waist,  and  somehow  their  lips  met.  and  again  met, 
and  met  again,  and  met  so  often,  that  the  horse  was 
far  out  of  sight  before  the  fact  forced  itself  on  the. 
mind  of  the  maiden. 

"  Robert,  desist !  There !  my  horse  has  gal 
loped  off!" 

"  Shall  I  bring  him  to  you  ?"  asked  the  delight 
ed  youth,  in  a  tone  that  showed  he  did  not  very 


120  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

much  apprehend  she  would  despatch  him  on  such 
a  mission. 

"  No,  we  can  walk.     But  it  is  so  foolish  !" 

"What?" 

"  Nothing." 

And  they  walked  on  together  for  a  few  momenta, 
in  silence. 

"  Kate !" 

"  Robert." 

"Do  you  love  me?" 

"Yes." 

"  May  I  seal  the  confession  ?" 

"  A  fine  time  to  ask  leave  now  !"  she  said,  laugh 
ing. 

Another  kiss,  and  then  another,  and  then  a  great 
many  others,  firmly  sealed  this  little  love  affair,  and 
placed  them  on  a  perfect  understanding  with  each 
other.  They  were  from  this  moment  lovers  ! 
They  quarrelled  only  twenty  times  in  the  subse 
quent  interval  of  a  week  that  preceded  her  birth 
day  ;  than  which  no  greater  proof  need  be  ad 
vanced  to  show  the  new  relation  in  which  they 
stood  to  each  other.  But,  then,  they  always  made 
up  again ;  the  youth,  whose  hasty  spirit  caused 
him  five  times  out  of  seven  to  be  the  offender, 
being  ever  ready  to  atone  by  every  loverlike  de 
vice. 

But  such  a  sad  breach  as  had  been  made  between 
them  this  day  was  without  a  parallel.  To  his  own 
mind  it  seemed  too  wide  to  be  repaired ;  too  gross 
to  be  atoned  for  by  words.  He,  on  his  part,  felt  that 
the  lofty  character  and  proud  spirit  of  Kate,  though 
love  plead  never  so  loudly,  would  not  brook  the 
insult  her  feelings  had  received  by  the  wild  out 
break  of  his  passions  in  her  presence.  He  felt 
that  he  had  forfeited  all  title  to  a  place  in  her  affec 
tions  ;  and  that  her  indignation  was  justly  roused 


THE   WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  121 

by  the  outrageous  deed  he  had  madly  attempted : 
with  bitterness  of  heart  he  acknowledged  that  he 
deserved  to  be  banished  for  ever  from  her  presence, 
and  to  be  remembered  by  her  only  with  contempt. 
But  he  knew  not  of  what  enduring  material  a  maid 
en's  heart  is  composed ;  he  knew  not  that,  when 
love  takes  possession  of  it,  like  a  magnet  thrown 
among  some  delicate  machinery  of  steel  commu 
nicating  to  every  part  a  portion  of  its  own  myste 
rious  nature,  it  penetrates  and  pervades  every  at 
tribute,  converts  every  passion  to  its  own  hue,  and 
renders  each  feeling  subservient  to  itself.  To  its 
arbitrament  all  things  are  referred.  Reason,  judg 
ment,  prudence,  and  even  piety  become  secondary 
to  the  will  of  this  autocrat  of  the  heart;  and  a 
deaf  ear  is  turned  even  to  the  counsels  of  the  wise 
and  good  when  they  do  not  conform  to  its  dictates. 
Such  is  the  power  of  love — wondrous,  vast,  incom 
prehensible  !  A  religion  without  a  god  or  a  future ; 
unbounded  in  its  power ;  universal  in  its  extent ; 
all-pervading  in  its  influences ! 

He  galloped  along  through  the  winding  avenues 
of  the  silent  forest,  scarce  roused  from  his  sad 
meditations  by  the  startled  deer  that  fled  at  his  ap 
proach,  yet  stooping  mechanically  as  some  old  oak 
flung  its  gigantic  arm  low  across  the  path.  Uncon 
sciously  he  urged  on  his  noble  horse  to  its  utmost 
speed ;  his  bonnet  pressed  down  over  his  gloomy 
brow ;  his  eyes  dark  and  settled  in  their  expres 
sion  ;  and  his  hand  nervously  grasping  the  rein.  At 
one  moment  he  would  drop  his  head  upon  his 
breast,  and  be  overcome  by  the  bitterness  of  grief. 
At  the  next  he  would  throw  back  his  head,  and 
with  eyes  flashing  fire,  gnash  his  glittering  teeth, 
shake  his  clinched  hands  above  his  head,  and  curse 
in  the  face  of  Heaven ;  while  the  horse,  catching 

VOL.  I. — L 


122  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

his  fierce  spirit,  would  erect  his  bristling  mane,  and 
bound  madly  forward  like  the  wind.  These  terri 
ble  paroxysms  of  mingled  grief  and  rage  would  pass 
away,  and  then  he  would  ride  slowly,  with  his  arms 
folded,  and  with  an  expression  of  settled  desponden 
cy.  Three  several  times  did  he  check  his  horse, 
and,  half-turning  him  round  towards  Castle  Cor, 
pause,  and  seem  to  deliberate  between  the  sugges 
tions  of  mingled  hope  and  doubt.  But,  after  a  few 
seconds'  thought,  he  would  shake  his  head  despair 
ingly  and  again  spur  forward. 

In  one  of  his  moods  of  sullen  gloom,  with  his 
arms  folded  across  his  breast,  his  head  drooped, 
the  reins  lying  loosely  upon  the  horse's  neck,  he 
came  upon  an  old  ruin  half  a  league  from  Castle 
More,  and  within  the  boundaries  of  its  wide  do 
main.  Here  and  there,  amid  a  confusion  of  moss- 
grown  fragments  that  everywhere  strewed  the 
ground,  rose  to  his  eye  a  mouldering  buttress ;  the 
half  of  a  Gothic  window ;  a  ruined  tower,  lifting 
itself  in  melancholy  loneliness,  in  the  last  stages  of 
decay  ;  or,  a  doorway  choked  to  its  lintel  with  rub 
bish.  Over  all  crept  the  ivy,  that  lovely  emblem 
of  charity,  binding  up,  with  its  slender  fingers,  the 
wounded  towers ;  covering  with  its  thick  robe  of 
leaves  the  nakedness  that  time  had  exposed ;  and, 
where  it  could  neither  heal  nor  strengthen,  wreath 
ing  about  the  dilapidated  walls  garlands  of  enduring 
verdure. 

It  was  the  ruins  of  a  chapel,  where,  centuries  be 
fore,  the  barons  of  Castle  More  had  worshipped. 
Now  all  was  desolation.  Its  bell  was  hushed ;  its 
choir  for  ever  silent.  The  priests — the  worship 
pers,  where  were  they  ?  sleeping  beneath  the  ruins 
of  the  crumbling  chancel ;  their  high  or  holy  names, 
which  no  man  remembers,  carved  deep  in  the  su 
perincumbent  marble.  Apparently  coeval  with  the 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  123 

fallen  temple,  near  its  eastern  end  grew  an  aged 
tree,  spreading  over  half  the  ruin  its  huge  broad 
arms  as  if  it  would  fain  protect,  in  its  desolation, 
the  relics  of  that  structure  whose  days  of  honour 
it  had  witnessed.  A  soft  evening  sunlight,  strug 
gling  through  the  tops  of  the  surrounding  forest, 
shed  a  crimson  glow  over  the  whole  scene,  and  im 
parted  a  quiet  and  sacred  character  to  the  spot  that 
took  from  it  its  aspect  of  desolation.  It  stood 
there  lonely  and  majestic  in  its  ruin,  forcibly  sug 
gesting  to  the  mind  the  idea  (for  there  does  exist 
a  mysterious  sympathy  of  association  between  man 
and  inanimate  objects)  of  calm,  Christian  old  age, 
ripe  in  years  and  holiness,  gathering  about  itself, 
with  dignity  and  grace,  its  mantle  of  decay. 

Wrapped  in  his  gloomy  thoughts,  the  horseman 
was  absently  following  the  path  that  wound  among 
the  ruins,  when,  as  he  turned  a  sudden  angle  of  the 
pile,  his  horse  started  and  nearly  threw  him  from 
his  saddle.  Roused  to  a  sense  of  his  situation,  he 
recovered  his  seat,  seized  the  bridle,  and  looked  up. 
Directly  in  his  path  stood  a  woman,  in  a  short  scar 
let  cloak,  then,  as  now,  the  favourite  colour  of  the 
Irish  peasantry,  leaning  on  a  long  white  staff,  curi 
ously  carved  with  mysterious  figures.  She  was 
beneath  the  middle  height,  and  hideously  hunch 
backed.  Her  hair  was  bright  red,  of  extraordinary 
length,  and  hung  down  in  masses  nearly  to  the 
ground.  Around  her  forehead  was  bound  a  cinc 
ture  of  beads,  woven  into  singular  devices,  which 
confined  a  sort  of  turban  of  green  silk.  Her  com 
plexion  was  bronzed  by  exposure,  but  evidently 
once  had  been  fair.  Her  features  were  stern  and  al 
most  'masculine,  yet  bearing  traces  of  feminine 
beauty  :  the  straight  forehead,  contracted  by  a  rigid 
frown  ;  the  aquiline  nose ;  the  arched  brow,  and 
thin,  well-shaped  lips,  with  a  roundly  turned  chin, 


124  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

were  all,  evidently,  wrecks  of  what  had  once  been 
beautiful.  Her  eye  was  large,  full,  and  clear,  and 
would  still  have  been  handsome  but  for  a  lurking 
devil  in  it.  But  the  unsightly  deformity  of  her 
person,  if  natural,  must  always  have  served  to  ren 
der  nugatory  any  charm  of  countenance  ;  and,  what 
ever  might  have  been  her  attractions  in  youth,  her 
present  appearance  was  calculated  to  excite  only 
feelings  of  mingled  fear  and  disgust.  The  young 
man  gazed  at  her  a  moment  as  she  stood  in  his 
path,  and  then,  in  a  tone  that  was  in  unison  with 
his  present  humour,  said  fiercely, 

"  Curses  light  on  thee,  hag !  Stand  from  my 
path,  or  I  will  ride  over  thee,  and  trample  thy  hid 
eous  carcass  with  my  horse's  hoofs." 

"Robert  Lester,  as  men  call  thee,"  she  said, 
without  changing  her  position,  in  a  cold,  hard 
voice,  and  with  a  malicious  laugh,  "  thou  hast  been 
crossed  in  thy  will,  and  art  out  of  temper.  Dost 
wish  revenge  ?" 

"  Woman,  avaunt !  I  want  none  of  thy  counsel. 
From  my  path,  or  I  will  ride  thee  down  !" 

As  he  spoke,  the  impatient  horseman  struck 
his  spurs  deep  into  his  horse's  flanks,  and  urged 
the  animal  forward ;  the  beast  reared  and  plunged 
fearfully  to  either  side,  but  refused  to  advance. 

"  Ha,  ha,  Robert  More  !  If  men  will  obey  thee 
thy  brute  will  not.  He  has  the  eye  to  see  dangers 
that  are  hidden  from  mortal  vision." 

"  Witch — fiend  !"  cried  the  young  man,  fiercely, 
"  I  will  dismount  and  hurl  thee  from  the  path  if 
thou  bar  my  way  farther.  Stand  aside  and  let  me 
pass  !" 

And  a  second  time  the  infuriated  rider  urged  the 
terrified  beast  forward,  but  was  nearly  unhorsed  by 
his  efforts  to  turn  from  the  road.  In  an  instant  he 
leaped  to  the  ground  and  advanced  upon  her.  She 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  125 

smiled  scornfully  as  he  approached,  caught  the 
arm  he  extended  to  seize  her,  and  held  him  in  her 
grasp  with  the  force  of  a  vice. 

"  Ha,  ha,  Robert  More  !  thou  art  defeated." 

Quick  as  lightning,  with  his  other  hand  he  drew 
from  his  breast  a  hunting-knife,  and,  elevating  it 
above  her  head,  said,  in  a  cool,  decided  tone, 

"Elpsy,  release  me,  or  I  sheath  this  blade  in  thy 
heart !" 

She  fixed  her  dark  wild  eyes  upon  his  face  an 
instant,  and  reading  aright  its  resolute  expression, 
let  go  her  grasp. 

"  'Tis  well  for  thee,  Elpsy,"  he  said,  returning 
the  blade  to  his  bosom  ;  "  thou  hast  saved  thy 
wretched  life,  and  thy  blood  is  not  on  my  soul. 
Now  leave  the  path  !"  he  added,  sternly.  "By  the 
cross  !  ere  I  will  be  bearded  thus  on  my  own  lands, 
I  will  command  my  retainers  to  hurl  thee  into  the 
sea." 

"  Thy  lands  !  thy  retainers  !  Ha,  ha,  ha,  Rob 
ert  More  !  I  have  in  store  a  punishment  for  thee 
and  for  thy  pride,  that  will  repay  me  for  all  thy  ar 
rogance  !  Oh,  how  thy  haughty  soul  will  writhe ! 
how  thy  proud  spirit  will  groan. !  Have  I  not  a 
cup  for  thee  to  drink  1 — Oh,  have  I !  Ha,  ha, 
ha!" 

The  foreboding  words  and  wild  laugh  of  the  hag 
sunk  deep  into  the  soul  of  the  young  man.  He  was 
impressed  by  her  manner  as  much  as  by  her  lan 
guage,  and,  with  a  changing  cheek,  said  quickly, 

"  What  mean  these  dark  words,  Elpsy  ?" 

"  Dark !  yes,  they  are  dark  to  thee  now,  but  I 
can  make  them  clear  as  the  sun  at  noon  ;  ay, 
proud  Robert  of  Lester !  they  shall  scorch  thee ! 
wither  thy  soul !  cause  thy  heart  to  shrink !  thy 
neck  to  bow  !  thy  head  to  lie  in  the  very  dust !  Oh, 
will  not  the  lowest  slave  among  the  vassals  that 
L2 


126  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

wait  thy  word  pity  thee,  when  thine  ears  receive 
what  I  would  reveal  !" 

The  wild  prophetic  air,  the  energy  and  taunting 
scorn  with  which  she  spoke,  alarmed  while  it  en 
raged  him. 

"  Madness  !  Woman — fiend !  monster  of  deform 
ity  !  speak,  I  command  thee." 

"  Thou  command  me,  Robert  Lester  !  Well, 
there  will  be  a  time  !  Wouldst  thou  know  what 
I  have  to  reveal  ?"  she  asked,  fixing  on  him  her 
scorching  eyes. 

"  Beware  if  thou  art  mocking  my  fears  !  I  will 
pluck  thy  tongue  from  thy  throat,  and  fling  it  to  my 
hounds  if  thou  hast  trifled  with  me  !" 

"What  I  will  tell  thee  will  be  so  true,  thou  wilt 
indeed  wish  the  tongue  that  spoke  it  had  been 
plucked  from  its  roots  ere  it  had  given  it  utterance. 
Nevertheless,  the  time  has  come  for  thee  to  hear ; 
and  I  may  no  longer  delay  the  recital  of  what,  for 
thy  sake,"  she  added,  with  a  softer  manner,  "I 
would  bear  close  locked  in  my  breast  to  the  grave. 
But,"  she  concluded,  in  a  lofty  tone,  "  what  is  to  be 
revealed  must  be  made  known,  though  the  heav 
en's  were  to  fall  and  the  earth  to  quake.  Who 
shall  stay  the  hand  of  fate  when  once  it  is  lifted  to 
destroy  ?" 

"  Elpsy,1'  said  Lester,  in  a  deep  and  earnest 
voice,  unable  to  throw  off  the  presentiment  of  com 
ing  evil  her  words  had  awakened,  "  I  would  believe 
thou  hadst  something  to  make  known  to  me  either 
of  good  or  evil,  though  of  the  latter  alone  I  know 
thou  art  the  minister.  Yet,  if  thou  hast  aught  to 
say,  I  am  ready  to  listen,  good  mother !"  he  added, 
in  a  mild  and  persuasive  tone. 

"  Robert  More,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  of  super 
human  softness,  while  the  frigid  and  austere  char 
acter  of  her  face  passed  away,  and  her  features  as- 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE   SEA.  127 

sumed  a  more  womanly  and  gentler  expression ; 
"  those  last  few  words  were  kindly  spoken,  and  be 
came  thee  :  they  have  touched  my  heart — for  even 
Elpsy  has  a  heart,"  she  said,  with  sarcastic  bitter 
ness  ;  "  for  those  kind  expressions  I  would  with 
hold  from  thee  the  knowledge  of  the  doom  that 
awaits  thee.  But  it  is  not  for  me,"  she  added,  in 
an  enthusiastic  voice,  and  with  returning  wildness 
of  the  eye ;  "  it  is  not  for  one  like  me  to  refuse  to 
obey  the  decree  that  has  gone  forth  against  thee. 
As  a  mortal,  I  pity  thee  !  as  a  woman,  I  could  weep 
for  thee !  and  as — No,"  she  interrupted  herself,  and 
muttered,  "  no,  he  shall  not  know  all  now ;  he  shall 
not  learn  all  till  my  soul  is  on  the  wing ;  then,  then 
will  it  be  time  enough !"  She  then  added  aloud, 
"  as  the  minister  of  the  invisible  world,  I  must  do  as 
I  am  commanded.  Robert  More,  if  you  can  bear 
to  hear  what  I  am  doomed  to  tell,  follow  me  !" 

"  Nay,  Elpsy,  speak  to  me  here." 

"  Obey  me  !"  she  commanded,  in  an  authoritative 
voice,  that  had  a  singular  power  over  his  will,  and 
which  he  had  not  the  ability  to  resist. 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  or  looking  round  to 
see  if  she  were  followed,  she  turned  from  the  bridle 
path,  and,  bounding  with  great  activity  and  with  a 
sort  of  mad  exhilaration  of  spirits  over  the  frag 
ments  of  stone  that  lay  in  her  way,  directed  her 
course  towards  a  low  door  at  the  foot  of  the  crum 
bling  tower.  He  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then, 
leaving  his  horse  cropping  the  long  rich  grass  that 
grew  among  the  ruins,  followed  her.  She  entered 
the  ruin,  and,  guided  by  a  dim  twilight  that  pene 
trated  through  the  top  of  the  ruinous  arch,  led  the 
way  along  a  covered  passage  which  ran  in  the  di 
rection  of  the  chancel.  Its  extremity  was  wrapped 
in  total  darkness. 

"  Elpsy,  I  will  follow  thee  no  farther,"  he  called. 


128  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

after  advancing  till  he  could  no  longer  take  a  step 
safely  in  the  impenetrable  gloom  that  surrounded 
him,  while  she  walked  before  him  with  a  free, 
rapid,  and  confident  pace. 

"  Take  the  end  of  my  staff,"  she  said,  returning 
a  few  steps  and  placing  it  within  his  reach. 

"  Thy  cabalistic  wand,  woman  !"  he  repeated,  in 
a  tone  of  horror,  recoiling  from  her  several  paces 
and  crossing  himself.  "  Avoid  thee  !" 

Like  many  among  the  highborn  and  educated  of 
that  day,  Lester  was  not  above  the  superstitious 
notions  of  the  times,  and  assented  to,  perhaps  with 
out  firmly  believing,  the  existence  and  power  of 
sorceresses.  Among  the  great  number  of  these 
singular  beings  that  about  this  time  rose  up  and 
filled  the  minds  of  all  men,  both  in  Great  Britain 
and  the  New-England  colonies,  with  pious  alarm 
and  godly  horror,  was  Elpsy  More,  or  "  Elpsy  of 
the  Tower,"  for  by  both  of  these  names  she  was 
known,  who  had  the  reputation,  above  all  others 
who  practised  the  black  art,  of  being  on  the  most 
intimate  footing  with  his  Satanic  highness.  Dark 
and  wild  were  the  tales  that  had  gone  forth,  and 
were  repeated  in  hall  and  cot,  of  the  supernatural 
deeds  of  this  communer  with  the  world  of  spirits. 
By  the  imaginations  of  the  credulous  and  timid  she 
was  invested  with  powers  that  could  belong  only 
to  the  Creator  of  the  universe  ;  and  it  was  believed 
by  all  good  Catholics,  that  every  Whitsuntide  the 
devil  came  to  dine  with  her  in  the  chancel  of  the 
old  church,  making  a  table  of  the  marble  tomb  of 
Black  Morris  O'More ;  who,  as  the  tradition  went, 
sold  his  soul  for  the  love  of  a  beautiful  lady,  who 
turned  out  to  be  a  fiend,  and  on  the  bridal  night 
flew  away  with  him  into  the  regions  of  wo. 

When  Lester  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  gloomy 
gallery,  these  tales  of  diablerie  had  come  crowding 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  129 

thick  upon  his  memory,  painted  in  their  most  vivid 
hues  by  his  imagination  ;  and  with  all  his  daring  his 
blood  ran  cold  in  his  veins  :  nevertheless,  he  had 
continued  to  grope  on  until  he  could  go  no  farther, 
when  he  called  to  her.  As  the  staff  she  offered 
came  in  contact  with  his  hand,  he  had  shuddered 
and  shrunk  back,  remembering  how  that  it  was 
said  her  crutch  was  given  her  by  her  master, 
who  hacVcharmed  it  by  hardening  it  in  the  fires  of 
the  ever-burning  lake ;  and  that  whomsoever  she 
touched  with  it,  or  even  pointed  it  to,  that  wore 
neither  cross,  bead,  nor  blessed  relic  about  his  neck, 
his  soul  would  surely  be  lost.  Lester  trembled  as 
these  legends  passed  through  his  mind,  crossed  him 
self,  and  with  great  devotion  muttered  a  paternoster. 
"  Here,  then,  is  my  hand !"  she  said,  seeing  his 
hesitation. 

"  Fearful  being,  I  will  not  go  with  thee." 
"  Robert  More,  obey  me  !     There  is  my  hand. 
It  shall  not  harm  thee,"  she  added,  in  that  pecu 
liar  tone  which  held  such  a  singular  power  over 
his  volition. 

Without  replying,  he  took  the  extended  hand 
and  followed  her  through  the  dark  passage  a  few 
yards  farther,  when  she  stopped  and  said, 

"  Heed  thy  footsteps  !  Here  are  steps — thou 
must  go  down  with  me." 

As  she  spoke  she  began  to  descend  a  flight  of 
stone  stairs  into  a  vault  beneath.  He  would  have 
held  back,  but  she  gently  and  irresistibly  led  him 
down,  when  they  stood  upright  in  a  damp  cham 
ber,  in  which  a  faint  light  struggled  through  an 
opening  in  the  floor  of  the  chapel  above.  The 
dank,  noisome  atmosphere  of  the  place,  and  its 
subterraneous  position  beneath  the  chancel,  filled 
him  with  awe  and  fear. 

"  Woman,  whither  have  you  led  me  ?"  he  asked, 


130  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

in  a  voice  deep  with  the  mingled  emotions  of  sus 
picion,  alarm,  and  resentment. 

"  Into  the  tomb  where  rest  the  bones  of  Black 
Morris  O'More,"  she  answered,  in  a  voice  that 
sounded  hollow  and  sepulchral. 

"  Mother  of  Heaven  !"  he  gasped,  "  then  is  my 
soul  lost !" 

"  Thou  wilt  little  heed  thy  soul,  proud  youth, 
when  thou  hast  heard  my  tale." 

"  Be  speedy  with  thy  story,  then  ;  for,  good  or 
ill  befall,  I  will  not  long  remain  here." 

"  Fear  not ;  thou  art  in  no  danger  !  Step  cau 
tiously,  and  I  will  guide  thee  across  this  chamber 
to  my  own  house.  This  is  only  the  anteroom  to  it. 
Ha,  ha  !"  she  laughed  frightfully.  "  See  !  I  have 
grim  Morris  O'More  to  stand  guard  over  my  door." 

As  she  said  this  she  struck  something,  which,  in 
the  darkness,  rattled  like  bones  suspended  from  the 
ceiling  of  the  vault. 

"  Sorceress  !"  cried  he,  shuddering  at  the  sound, 
"  I  will  go  no  farther." 

"  Come  with  me,  Robert  More  !"  she  said,  firm 
ly  ;  "  and  see  thou  fall  not  over  the  tomb  of  Black 
Morris  in  the  way." 

She  drew  him  by  the  arm  as  she  spoke  with  a 
strength  far  beyond  his  own.  He  felt  for  his  hunt 
ing-knife,  determined  to  free  himself  by  striking 
her  with  it. 

"  Hold  !"  she  cried,  divining  his  intentions ;  "  I 
will  not  harm  thee.  Here  is  my  abode  !" 

While  speaking,  she  struck  against  the  opposite 
wall  with  her  staff,  and  a  door  flew  open,  exposing 
the  interior  of  a  small  circular  chamber  receiving 
a  dim  light  from  the  sky,  which  was  seen  calm 
and  blue  through  the  roofless  tower  above. 

"  Welcome  to  the  abode  of  Elpsy  of  the  Tower !" 
she  said,  with  irony.  "  'Tis  not  the  princely  one 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  131 

thou  art  accustomed  to,  but  it  will  serve  thy  pres 
ent  purpose.  Didst  know  that  on  thy  domains 
thou  hadst  such  a  brave  woodland  palace  ?  Look 
about  thee  !" 

The  young  man  entered  the  room  with  a  feeling 
of  relief  that  he  no  longer  was  in  the  very  sepul 
chre,  though  still  within  reach,  of  the  tomb  of  Black 
Morris  the  accursed.  The  apartment  in  which  he 
now  found  himself  originally  had  been  constructed 
by  the  priests  for  the  preservation  of  the  sacred 
vessels  of  the  church  in  times  of  hostile  invasion  of 
their  domains.  It  was  a  subterranean  room,  situ 
ated  beneath  a  circular  tower  or  turret  that  rose  at 
the  southeast  angle  of  the  chapel.  The  tower 
once  had  contained  three  floors,  one  above  the 
other ;  the  mortises  for  the  sleepers  being  yet  visi 
ble,  ranged  regularly  and  at  equal  distances  around 
the  inner  side.  The  top  or  roof  of  the  tower,  with 
its  battlement  and  Gothic  ornaments,  had  long 
since  fallen  in ;  and  the  floors,  down  even  to  the 
ground  that  formed  the  floor  of  the  witch's  apart 
ment  and  the  very  foundation  of  the  tower,  had 
successively  decayed  and  disappeared.  The  only 
entrance  to  this  tunnel-like  turret  was  the  door 
from  the  sepulchre  by  which  he  had  been  admit 
ted.  From  this  vault  to  the  chambers  formerly 
above,  access  had  been  obtained  by  a  circular  stair 
way  within  the  tower  and  conducting  from  floor  to 
floor,  the  beds  of  the  beams  and  fixtures  which 
supported  them  still  remaining  in  the  masonry. 
The  object  of  these  once-existing  upper  chambers 
of  the  round  tower  is  involved  in  mystery,  though 
tradition  hath  given  to  the  "  three  tower-chambers" 
each  their  own  wild  tale  of  dark  superstition  and 
priestly  crime. 

As  he  stood  in  the  vault  in  the  bottom  of  the 
tower,  and  looked  far  out  at  the  sky,  it  was  like 


132  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

gazing  upward  from  the  bottom  of  a  well.  The 
light  came  in  strongly  at  the  top,  but  grew  fainter 
and  fainter  as  it  penetrated  deeper,  till  only  a 
dim  twilight  reached  the  chamber  below.  He  rec 
ognised  the  tower  as  the  loftiest  of  the  ruin  which 
often  he  had  made  a  landmark  when  hunting,  and 
ascertained  thereby  his  position :  this  discovery 
rendering  him  more  at  his  ease,  he  turned  to  sur 
vey  the  subterranean  abode  which  Elpsy  had 
chosen. 

In  the  midst  of  the  floor  was  a  heap  of  cin 
ders,  on  which  stood  a  small  iron  kettle,  appa 
rently  the  only  utensil  she  used  for  preparing  her 
food.  A  stone  escutcheon,  broken  from  one  of  the 
tombs,  served  her  for  a  seat,  and  a  pile  of  fern  and 
leaves  for  a  bed.  These  constituted  all  the  neces 
saries  that  her  singular  and  solitary  way  of  life 
called  for.  But  there  were  other  objects  that  at 
tracted  his  attention,  and  thrilled  his  blood  as  he 
gazed  on  them.  Beside  the  door,  its  bones  tied  to 
gether  with  strips  of  deer's  hide,  hung  a  skeleton  of 
great  size,  its  ghastly  jaws  carefully  bound  up  and 
grinning  horribly,  and  its  hollow,  bony  sockets  filled 
with  stag's  eyes  wildly  staring  at  him.  Sculls, 
cross-bones,  and  other  hideous  mementoes  of  the 
charnel-house  were  arranged  along  the  sides  of 
the  walls ;  while  charms,  amulets,  and  all  the  nu 
merous  instruments  of  sorcery  lay  about.  Through 
the  open  door  he  beheld  the  stone  effigy  of  Black 
Morris,  which  had  slided  from  its  recumbent  pos 
ture  above  his  tomb  by  the  sinking  of  the  earth, 
standing  nearly  upright,  staring  with  his  stony  gaze 
into  the  round  chamber,  before  which  swung  the 
skeleton  of  which  his  tomb  had  been  despoiled. 
The  tomb  itself  was  open,  and  its  black  sepulchral 
mouth  yawned  as  if  it  would  gladly  receive  a  new 
occupant. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE   SEA  133 

Terrible  to  Lester's  nerves  was  the  trial  pro 
duced  by  this  scene.  Bold  and  fearless  as  he  was 
by  nature,  he  could  not  suppress  emotions  of  fear 
(the  cowardice  of  superstition)  at  the  situation  and 
circumstances  in  which  he  had  suffered  himself  to 
be  drawn  by  the  taunting  language  of  a  wild  weird 
woman,  who  not  only  was  the  professed  enemy  of 
all  mankind,  but  had  manifested  hostile  feelings 
towards  himself.  He  nevertheless  resolved  that, 
having  adventured,  he  would  go  through  with  it, 
trusting,  with  religious  faith,  that  all  good  saints 
would  help  him  against  spiritual  foes ;  while  for  pro 
tection  against  mortal  ones,  ay,  even  Elpsy  herself, 
he  trusted  to  his  own  coolness,  and,  if  it  should 
come  to  that,  the  broad  sharp  blade  of  his  hunting- 
knife.  Having  fortified  his  mind  with  this  resolve, 
he  felt  more  confidence ;  and  being  now  in  some 
degree  familiarized  with  his  situation  and  the 
ghastly  objects  around  him,  he  turned  to  address 
the  sorceress,  who,  on  entering,  had  seated  herself 
on  a  scull,  and,  with  her  chin  buried  between  her 
hands,  continued  to  fix  her  dark  eyes  upon  his  face 
with  a  mingled  expression  of  pity  and  malignant 
triumph.  Before  he  could  speak  she  rose,  and, 
laying  her  hand  on  his  arm,  said,  in  a  tone  between 
sadness  and  derision, 

"  How  like  you  my  abode,  my  lord  ?" 

"  'Tis  a  gloomy  place." 

"  Ay,  and  many  a  gloomy  day  have  I  spent  in 
it.  Sit  ye  down  on  that  stone,  Lord  Lester !"  she 
added,  laying  a  peculiar  emphasis  upon  the  last 
two  words ;  "  'tis  a  knight's  shield,  and  should  be 
a  fit  seat  for  thee  /" 

"  Is  it  thus,  Elpsy,  you  use  the  sculptured  ar 
mour  and  the  sepultured  bones  of  my  ancestors  ?" 
he  said,  in  an  indignant  tone. 

"  Thy  ancestors  ?"  she  repeated,  scornfully.   "  Sit 

VOL.  L— M 


134  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

thou  there,  Lord  Lester.     Dost  hear,  LORD  Les 
ter  ?     Open  thine  ears,  and  drink  in  the  title  and 
style  well — for  'twill  be  the  last  time  they  will  fall 
upon  them." 

"  Cease  your  mockery,  woman  !  Say  what  thou 
hast  to  say,  and  quickly." 

"  Listen  !"  she  said,  seating  herself  on  a  scull  op 
posite  to  him,  while  a  struggle  between  sympathy 
and  malicious  exultation  was  visible  on  her  features. 
"  Young,  and  fair,  and  brave  to  look  upon  withal !" 
she  said,  muttering  to  herself,  and  gazing  on  him 
steadfastly  and  thoughtfully ;  "  a  coronet  would 
grace  that  brow  even  as  if  'twere  born  to  it.  Rob 
ert  Lester,  or  Robert  More,  for  men  call  thee  both," 
she  said  aloud,  bending  her  face  towards  him,  and 
speaking  in  an  impressive  manner,  "  now  listen  to 
the  tale  I  have  in  store  for  thee-  Fix  thine  eye 
upon  me  that  I  may  see  it  blench  as  I  go  on.  Oh  ! 
it's  a  tale  for  a  Christmas  eve,  I  trow  !" 

She  was  silent  a  few  seconds,  as  if  sending  her 
thoughts  back  through  the  past ;  then,  in  a  low 
voice,  which  rose  or  fell,  was  wild  or  sad,  slow  or 
rapid,  as  her  subject  moved  her,  she  began  : 

"  Eighteen  long  years  ago  there  dwelt  by  the 
seaside  a  poor  fisherman,  honest,  hard  labouring  in 
his  vocation,  but  contented  with  his  lot,  never  hav 
ing  known  better.  He  was  a  widower,  but  had  an 
only  daughter,  his  sole  companion,  and  the  enly 
link  that  bound  him  to  his  kind.  This  child  grew 
up  to  be  a  tall  and  comely  maiden.  Her  eyes  were 
of  the  rich  brown  hue  of  the  ripe  chestnut.  Her 
hairj  soft  as  the  floss  of  Florence,  was  a  fair  brown  ; 
but  when  the  winds  that  came  off  the  sea  would 
toss  it  in  the  sunlight,  there  played  over  it  a  blaze 
of  gold.  It  never  had  known  confinement,  but 
floated  like  a  sunset  cloud  about  her  head." 

"  What  has  this  to  do  with  thy  tale  ?"  demanded 

Lester,  impatiently. 

i  •'-.—--   , 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  135 

"  Listen  !"  she  said,  calmly  but  firmly ;  her 
features,  as  her  thoughts  seemed  to  dwell  pleasu 
rably  on  the  beauty  of  the  maiden,  becoming  more 
humanized,  while  her  voice  modulated  and  har 
monized  with  the  words  she  uttered.  "This  fair 
maid  grew  up,  unknowing  and  unknown ;  bud 
ding  and  blooming  like  a  lone  flower  by  the  sea 
side.  Her  laugh  was  merry  as  the  carol  of  the 
glad  lark  as  it  soars  and  sings ;  her  spirits  were 
light  as  the  sparkling  foam  of  the  summer's  sea ; 
her  heart  as  pure  as  the  moonbeam  that  slept  on 
the  wave.  Her  happiness  was  in  her  father's  smile 
and  in  his  paternal  love  ;  and,  besides  her  little  cot, 
and  the  wide  sea  which  she  loved,  and  the  tall  cliff 
that  towered  above  her  home,  she  knew  not,  until 
she  had  entered  her  eighteenth  year,  that  there  was 
any  other  world.  Alas,  for  that  maiden,  that  she 
had  not  remained  in  ignorance  !  Alas,  for  her,  that 
her  heart  was  not  as  cold  as  the  moonbeam  it  re 
sembled  in  its  purity  !  One  black  and  stormy  night, 
a  voice,  shouting  for  aid,  reached  the  ears  of  the 
old  fisherman  and  his  child,  heard  above  the  howl- 
ings  of  wind  and  roaring  of  the  angry  deep. 

"  '  Rise,  my  child !'    he  cried,  '  there  is  life  in 
peril.' 

"  In  a  few  moments  they  were  by  the  seaside, 
and  by  flashes  of  lightning  beheld  a  small  bark 
driving  towards  the  shore  before  the  tempest.  On 
its  prow  stood  a  group  of  men,  who  waved  their 
arms  wildly  as  the  lightning  showed  to  them  the 
forms  of  the  old  man  and  his  daughter  standing  on 
the  beach,  and  shouted  for  help.  Swift  and  irre 
sistible,  like  an  affrighted  courser,  the  fatal  vessel 
drove  onward,  now  lifted  high  on  a  surge,  now  plun 
ging  into  a  yawning  chasm,  till  at  length,  borne  to 
a  great  height  on  a  wave,  she  trembled  an  instant 
on  its  top,  and  then,  descending  like  an  arrow, 


136  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

struck  against  the  bottom  and  was  dashed  to 
pieces.  Wild,  fearful,  unearthly  was  the  shriek 
that  pierced  the  ears  of  the  fisherman  and  his  child  ! 
They  looked  where,  a  moment  before,  it  went  ca 
reering  over  the  foaming  billows,  and  the  lightning 
gleamed  only  upon  fragments  of  the  wreck,  human 
heads,  and  wildly  waving  arms.  One  solitary  cry 
rent  the  air  after  she  struck,  and  then  naught  but 
the  shriek  of  the  winds,  like  a  human  wail,  and  the 
tumult  of  the  sea  as  it  lashed  the  shore  in  its  fury, 
was  to  be  heard." 

"  What  has  this  to  do  with  the  tale  I  came  hith 
er  to  learn  ?"  asked  the  youth,  impatiently ;  never 
theless,  had  he  listened  to  her  with  interest,  deeply 
impressed  by  the  energy  of  her  voice  and  manner, 
as  she  warmed  in  her  narrative. 

"  Much,"  she  said,  quietly.  "  Listen  !  The  fish 
erman,  with  his  hair  streaming  in  the  wind,  and  his 
garments  wet  with  the  spray,  long  traversed  the 
beach  to  see  if  human  life  had  been  cast  on  shore. 
He  was  accompanied  by  his  daughter,  who,  with 
her  golden  locks  glancing  in  the  lightning,  her  lofty 
forehead  calm  and  firm  with  womanly  energy,  and 
her  fair  young  face  lighted  up  with  the  noble  spirit 
that  inspired  her  to  the  task,  looked  like  some 
bright  spirit  of  peace  that  had  come  to  stay  the 
tempest.  They  watched  by  that  lonely  shore  till 
the  dawn  broke,  when,  by  its  first  faint  glimmer, 
the  maiden  discovered  an  object  like  a  human 
form  lying  on  the  edge  of  the  sea  beside  a  rock, 
whither  it  had  been  tossed  by  the  stormy  waves. 
With  a  cry  between  hope  and  mistrust  she  sprang 
fearlessly  towards  the  object — for,  in  the  stern  du 
ties  of  humanity  to  its  suffering  kind,  fear  nor  false 
delicacy  have  no  place,  and,  if  they  had,  that  maid 
en  was  too  good,  too  ignorant  of  life  to  know  either. 
As  she  came  close  to  it,  she  saw  that  it  was  the 


THE    WIZARD  OF    THE    SEA.  137 

body  of  a  man.  She  placed  her  hand  upon  his 
temples.  They  were  warm.  He  was  alive  !  Alas, 
far  better  would  it  have  been  for  her  had  he  been 
cold  as  the  stone  beside  which  he  lay  !  His  pulse 
was  very  faint ;  she  could  just  feel  it  throb  like  a 
fine  chord  vibrating  against  her  finger.  He  was 
lying  upon  his  side  naturally,  like  one  in  sleep.  It 
was  not  yet  light  enough  to  see  whether  he  was 
young  or  old,  but  she  knew,  from  the  soft  smooth 
skin  of  his  brow,  that  many  winters  of  manhood  had 
not  passed  over  his  head.  With  her  aid  her  father 
bore  him  to  their  hut,  and,  after  bathing  his  forehead 
and  hands  in  spirits,  and  applying  for  his  restora 
tion  the  few  but  effective  means  known  to  those 
whose  lives  are  passed  on  the  sea,  he  opened  his 
eyes,  and,  after  a  little  while,  was  able  to  sit  up. 
After  having  waited  a  few  moments  to  recall  his 
faculties,  he  seemed  to  have  become  conscious  of 
his  situation,  and  the  fatal  cause  which  led  to  it : 
with  a  smile  of  gratitude  he  looked  up,  and,  glan 
cing  first  at  the  father  and  then  at  the  daughter, 
acknowledged,  in  a  voice  and  with  a  look  that 
thrilled  to  the  heart  of  the  poor  maiden,  how  much 
he  owed  them  for  their  exertions  in  saving  his  life." 

"  This  is  a  long  story,  Elpsy,  and,  methinks,  liU 
tie  to  the  purpose  !"  interrupted  Lester. 

"  Listen  !  His  language  was  courteous,  and  his 
speech  addressed  alone  to  her :  his  manner  was 
also  gentle,  and  such  as  would  please  a  maiden. 
He  got  up  and  walked  to  the  window  to  look  out 
upon  the  beach,  which  was  strewn  with  fragments 
of  the  wreck ;  and,  as  he  did  so,  she  was  struck 
with  his  noble  figure,  and  proud,  soldierly  air;  and 
the  soft  sadness  that  came  over  his  face,  as  he  sur 
veyed  the  melancholy  relics  of  his  gallant  vessel, 
touched  her  heart.  He  was  not  above  thirty  years 
of  age,  with  a  high,  fair  brow,  and  a  cheek,  though 
M2 


138  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

sunburnt,  bright  as  a  child's.  His  hair  was  of 
a  silvery  hue,  that  harmonized  with  his  complex 
ion,  and  flowed  long  and  in  shining  waves  about 
his  shoulders.  His  eyes  were  as  blue  as  if  they 
had  been  mirrors  to  reflect  the  summer's  sky,  and, 
as  she  met  them,  were  tender,  yet  ardent,  in  their 
expression.  His  smile  was  fascinating,  and  his 
rich  voice  was  full  of  melody  and  most  manly  in 
its  tones.  Poor  fisher's  daughter !  She  gazed  on 
him  bewildered  with  love,  and  lost  her  heart  ere 
she  scarce  knew  she  possessed  one !  He  turned 
away  from  the  window,  and  his  eyes  met  the  fer 
vent  gaze  of  the  maiden.  She  blushed ;  her  eye 
lids  fell ;  her  young  bosom  heaved  tumultuously, 
and  the  worldly-wise  stranger  read  her  heart  at  a 
glance. 

"  The  evening  of  that  day  (for  hour  after  hour  did 
he  linger  beneath  the  fisherman's  lowly  roof)  they 
sat  together  in  the  door  of  her  cot.  He  took  her 
hand,  and  told  her,  in  a  low,  gentle  voice,  how  he 
had  sailed  homeward  from  Spain,  where  he  had 
been  fighting  as  a  soldier;  and  how,  with  his  com 
panions,  he  had  been,  the  last  night,  driven  by  the 
tempest  on  that  inhospitable  shore  when  within  five 
leagues  of  his  destination ;  and  how  that  he  had 
lost  much  treasure  by  the  shipwreck,  but  that  her 
presence  had  made  him  forget  all  he  had  lost; 
that  her  smile  repaid  him  for  all  that  he  had  suf 
fered.  Poor  maiden  !  The  hours  wore  away,  yet 
they  seemed  minutes  to  her ;  the  stars  came  out, 
and  the  tardy  moon  rose  !  He  discoursed  to  her 
of  love,  and  she  listened  !  Her  ears  drank  in  his 
words !  Her  heart  was  no  longer  her  own.  He 
told  her  that  he  loved  her,  and  received  her  in 
genuous  confession  in  return.  He  then  told  her 
of  a  brave  tower,  that  stood  amid  broad  lands  five 
leagues  northward,  which  owned  him  as  master, 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  139 

and  this,  he  said,  he  would  make  her  the  mistress 
of  if  she  would  become  his  bride.  She  believed 
and  promised.  He  then  said  he  must  leave  her, 
but  would  return  in  a  few  days  in  a  fair  ship,  and 
claim  its  fulfilment.  The  next  morning  he  took  his 
departure.  She  wept  sorely  in  his  arms  when  he 
left  her.  But,  ere  her  father,  who  had  been  pursu 
ing  his  daily  toil  on  the  deep,  returned,  she  had 
dried  up  her  tears  and  clothed  her  face  with  smiles 
to  meet  him,  lest  her  sorrow  should  make  him  sad. 
She  did  not  tell  him  of  her  love  or  the  promise  of 
the  stranger  :  it  was  the  first  time  she  had  harbour 
ed  a  secret  in  her  guileless  heart.  She  was  silent 
from  maidenly  modesty  ;  for,  with  the  love  that  had 
got  into  her  heart,  had  entered  many  new  feelings 
hitherto  unknown  to  her. 

"  Sad  and  heavy  passed  the  days,  when  one  even 
ing,  as  she  stood  upon  the  beach  looking,  now  south 
ward  for  the  light  skiff  of  her  father,  and,  much  of- 
tener,  northward  for  the  expected  bark  of  her  lover, 
she  saw  the  evening  sun  glancing  on  a  white  sail 
that  appeared  coming  round  a  promontory  a  league 
distant  to  the  north.  It  bent  its  course  towards  the 
beach.  Her  heart  fluttered.  She  knew  not  what 
to  do  for  joy ;  and,  in  her  impatience,  could  have 
flown  along  the  white  sand  to  meet  it !  Steadily  it 
bore  down  towards  her.  She  now  forgot  to  look 
for  the  little  skiff  of  her  father ;  her  eyes  were 
fixed  alone  on  the  coming  bark !  It  approached 
nearer  and  nearer.  She  could  see  forms  on  the 
deck.  As  it  came  closer,  high  on  the  poop,  stand 
ing  alone  like  its  master  spirit,  she  discovered  her 
lover.  He  waved  his  hand  to  her,  and,  as  she  an 
swered  it,  the  vessel  came  to  ;  a  boat  was  launched, 
and  he  sprang  into  it.  A  few  strokes  of  the  oar 
sent  it  to  the  land,  and,  leaping  out,  the  handsome 
stranger  clasped  the  lovely  maiden  in  his  arms. 


140  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

" '  Come,  gentle  maid,'  he  said,  in  accents  of  love ; 
•  come  and  be  the  bride  of  my  home  and  heart.' 

"  '  Not  without  my  father !'  she  said,  looking  anx-r 
iously  to  see  if  she  could  descry  his  boat. 

" ' Think  not  of  him  now,'  said  he ;  'he  shall 
soon  come,  and  cheer  with  his  presence  your  new 
home.' 

"  '  He  will  grieve  when  he  finds  I  have  left  him,' 
she  said,  with  filial  tenderness.  '  I  cannot  go.' 

" '  He  shall,  ere  long,  see  you  again,'  he  said, 
gently  leading  her  along ;  '  come,  dearest,  fly  with 
me  to  the  abode  I  have  prepared  for  you.  This 
shall  be  our  bridal  night !' 

"  The  maiden  suffered  herself  to  be  borne  to  the 
waiting  bark ;  its  sails  were  trimmed  to  the  breeze, 
and  swiftly  it  cut  its  way  through  the  crested  bi!T 
lows  towards  the  direction  from  which  it  came." 

"  Hast  done  ?'  asked  the  impatient  Lester. 

"  Hear  me  !"  said  Elpsy,  in  a  stern  tone.  "  The 
morning's  sun  shone  upon  a  dark  square  tower, 
with  a  single  wing  that  looked  upon  the  sea,  and 
his  beams  penetrated  a  stained  lattice,  and  fell  in 
brilliant  and  varied  dies  on  the  floor  of  a  chamber 
within  it.  In  that  chamber  sat  the  fisher's  daugh 
ter  ;  and  the  fair-locked  stranger  was  bending  over 
her  as  she  sat  by  the  window,  dallying  with  her 
golden  tresses.  The  night  upon  the  sea  had  been 
her  bridal  night !  But,  alas  !  unblessed  by  priest, 
unmarked  by  altar,  or  prayer,  or  vow !  She  was 
neither  bride  nor  maid." 

Here  the  witch's  voice  trembled  with  emotion, 
while  her  eyes  grew  rigid,  and  her  brow  became 
gloomy  and  fearful  to  look  upon. 

"Who  did  this  maiden  this  foul  wrong?"  asked 
the  youth,  with  a  flashing  eye. 

"  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  !'< 

"  fla  !  that  rebel  Irish  chief,  who,  to  save  his 


THE    WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  141 

head,  fled  to  the  Colonies,  and  who,  for  his  blood 
thirsty  spirit,  got  the  title  of  «  The  Red-Hand  ]' " 
demanded  Lester,  with  interest. 
"  The  same." 

"  I  would  have  sworn  it !     Go  on." 
She  smiled  grimly,  and  then  continued : 
"  For  many  days  he  was  devoted  to  his  victim ; 
but  amused  her,  when  she  besought  him  to  heal 
her  wounded  honour  by  the  words  of  the  holy  mass 
of  marriage,  with  idle  excuses  ;  and  so  she  was  put 
off  from  day  to  day,  till  she  found  there  was  life 
within  her  bosom,  and  that  she  was  about  to  be 
come  a  wedless  mother. 

"  Gradually  he  got  to  neglect  her,  and  daily  grew 
more  and  more  estranged  from  her  ;  and  at  length, 
heading  a  secret  conspiracy,  his  tower  became  the 
rendezvous  of  insurgent  leaders,  and  day  and  night 
rung  with  bacchanalian  revels.  Lonely  she  sat, 
evening  after  evening,  in  her  solitary  chamber,  with 
her  face  resting  on  her  hand,  and  her  eyes  looking 
south  over  the  sea ;  her  thoughts  winging  their  way 
to  her  lowly  cot  and  its  humble  occupant,  who,  per 
haps,  mourned  his  daughter  as  having  perished  in 
the  deep. 

"  At  length  she  became  a  mother.  He  was  away 
at  the  time,  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  conspira 
tors  bound  on  an  expedition  of  treason  and  blood 
shed.  On  the  third  day  afterward  he  returned. 
She  heard  the  tramp  of  horses,  and  with  hurried 
joy  opening  the  lattice — for,  notwithstanding  his 
neglect,  she  loved  him  still — saw  him  riding  rapid 
ly  towards  the  tower,  followed  only  by  a  single 
rider,  and  leading  by  the  rein  a  palfrey,  on  which 
was  mounted  a  beautiful  lady  ;  she  saw  that  her 
head  drooped,  that  she  appeared  sick  and  faint,  and 
that  he  supported  her  by  passing  one  arm  about  her 
waist.  A  pang  of  jealousy,  the  first  she  had  ever 


142  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

known,  shot  through  her  bosom.  They  reined  up 
beneath  the  window :  she  saw  him  take  her  in  his 
arms  from  the  saddle,  and  bear  her  within  the  tow 
er.  Then,  with  surprise,  she  heard  him,  in  a  loud 
tone,  give  commands  for  all  the  defences  of  the 
castle  to  be  put  up,  as  if  he  expected  to  encoun 
ter  a  siege.  She  returned  again  to  her  couch  faint 
and  sick  at  heart,  and  waited  his  appearance.  An 
hour  elapsed  ere  he  came,  and  painful  were  the 
thoughts  that  agitated  her  bosom.  When  at  length 
she  heard  his  footsteps,  she  rose  to  meet  him  with 
a  smile  of  love,  with  her  infant  extended  in  her 
arms.  His  dress  was  disordered  and  bloody,  as  if 
he  was  just  from  conflict ;  and  she  at  once  saw, 
for  affection  is  quick  and  suspicious  ever,  that  his 
brow  was  dark  and  angry. 

"'Ha!'  he  cried,  scornfully,  'what  have  we 
here  ?' 

'* '  The  pledge  of  your  former  love,'  she  said,  with 
gentle  reproof,  offering  it  to  his  arms. 

"'By  the  head  of  St.  Peter!'  he  exclaimed, 
pushing  her  rudely  away,  and  fixing  upon  her  a 
terrible  look  (which  but  one  other  living  can  give," 
said  Elpsy,  with  peculiar  emphasis,  fixing  her  gaze 
upon  Lester),  "  '  I  brought  thee  not  hither  to  breed 
brats  !  Fling  it  from  the  window  !' 
.  "  And,  without  deigning  to  cast  a  glance  upon  it, 
he  strode  across  the  chamber,  while,  with  a  cry  of 
pain  and  mortal  anguish,  she  sunk  down  upon  the 
floor.  He  turned  and  looked  back  at  her  for  a  few 
seconds,  and  then  said  fiercely, 

"  '  Rise,  woman  !  I  have  brought  a  lady  hither 
who  will  need  thy  services  ere  the  dawn.  Up,  I 
say.  Thou  shall  be  her  servant  if  I  bid  thee. 
Such  a  station  will  best  suit  thy  birth.  Up,  or  I 
will  tear  thy  brat  from  thee  and  cast  it  from  the 
balcony,' 


•THE  WIZARD  01-  THE  SEA.  143 

"  She  clung  convulsively  to  her  babe  and  rose 
from  the  ground.  But  was  she  not  changed  in  that 
little  while,  Robert  More  ?  Was  not  her  deep  love 
turned  into  deep  hate  ?  Ay  !  as  if  by  the  wave  of 
a  wand  her  soul  was  changed,  and  she  became  a 
different  being.  'Tis  but  a  step  from  the  deepest 
love  to  the  deepest  hate  in  woman's  heart;  when, 
she  feels  that  she  is  deliberately  injured.  Then 
lightning  is  not  quicker  than  the  change — hell  not 
deeper  than  her  hate  !  She  rose  from  the  floor  an 
other  creature.  He  saw  the  alteration  in  her  coun 
tenance,  and,  for  a  moment,  his  guilty  spirit  cow 
ered.  But  Satan  helped  him  to  banish  all  feeling 
from  his  breast,  and  he  waved  her  sternly  away, 

"  '  Whither  ?'  she  asked,  meeting  his  fierce  gaze 
with  a  cool  glance  of  contempt. 

" '  To  the  chamber  opening  from  the  hall,'  he" 
said,  in  a  tone  of  less  authority,  dropping  his  eyea 
before  her  steady  look. 

"  As  he  went  out  he  muttered  to  himself,  but  the* 
mother's  open  ears  caught  the  meaning  of  the  words, 

" '  That  child  shall  die  !' 

"  She  shuddered,  but  spoke  not :  clasping  hef 
child  to  her  bosom  after  he  had  left  her,  she  tottered 
from  the  room  and  descended  to  the  hall.  Enter 
ing  the  apartment  designated,  she  there  beheld  the 
lady  whom  she  had  seen  ride  up  to  the  tower. 
She  was  reclining  on  a  couch,  and  appeared  to  be 
overpowered  by  fatigue  and  grief.  She  was  very 
lovely,  with  fine  dark  eyes  that  were  filled  with 
tears,  and  raven  hair  that  was  spread  dishevelled 
over  her  pillow.  She  turned  her  face  as  the  door 
opened,  and  her  countenance  brightened  with  hope 
as  she  saw  the  approach  of  one  of  her  own  sex. 
The  young  mother  advanced  to  the  couch  and  of 
fered  her  consolation.  The  lady  glanced  at  the 
swaddled  infant,  and  asked  if  she  were  the  wife  of 
'Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand.' 


144  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  '  No,'  was  the  sad,  yet  stern,  reply. 

"  The  lady  ceased  to  inquire  further,  and,  being 
in  her  turn  asked  how  she  came  there,  said  that  she 
was  a  noble  lady  and  a  wife." 

"  A  noble  lady  !"  repeated  Lester,  with  interest. 

"Now  that  there  is  high  blood  spoken  of,  you 
can  feel  an  interest  in  my  story,"  she  said,  sarcas 
tically.  "  Listen  !  She  told  how  her  lord  had  gone 
that  morning  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  gentlemen 
to  attack  a  strong  position  of  the  insurgents,  when, 
anxious  and  impatient  for  intelligence,  she  rode  out, 
accompanied  by  several  servants,  nearly  a  league 
from  her  castle,  in  hopes  of  meeting  him  or  a  mes 
senger.  She  got  no  tidings  of  him,  and  was  on  her 
return,  when  one  overtook  her  with  a  message  from 
her  lord,  saying  that  he  had  gained  a  signal  victory 
over  the  conspirators,  who  were  totally  routed  with 
great  slaughter,  and  that  their  chief,  Hurtel  of  the 
Red-Hand,  had  barely  escaped  with  his  life." 

"  A  battle  with  conspirators,  and  defeat  of  Hur 
tel  of  the  Red-Hand.  By  Heaven !  woman,  my 
father  once  fought  and  conquered  this  same  chief ! 
Ha — your  looks  !  what — speak — was  it — was  she 
— no — go  on,  it  cannot  be  !" 

The  sorceress  smiled  mysteriously  and  contin 
ued, 

"  '  I  had  hardly  received  this  joyful  news,'  she 
said,  'when  three  horsemen,  riding  at  full  speed, 
came  spurring  behind  us.  They  were  passing  us, 
when  one  of  them,  whom  I  recognised  as  Hurtel 
of  the  Red-Hand,  turned  in  his  saddle  as  he  dashed 
by,  and,  looking  at  me  earnestly,  exclaimed, 

"  ' "  The  countess,  by  all  that's  fortunate  !  This 
will  help  redeem  the  day's  reverses,  and  give  me  a 
chance  for  my  head  !" 

"  '  As  he  spoke  he  threw  himself,  with  his  com 
pany,  sword  in  hand,  upon  my  servants,  and,  after 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  145 

a  brief  struggle,  in  which  he  lost  one  of  his  party, 
either  slew  or  dispersed  them  ;  and  then,  ere  I  had 
time  to  collect  my  thoughts,  he  seized  the  rein  of 
my  palfrey  and  conveyed  me  hither.  His  object 
must  be  either  ransom,  or,  more  probably,  the  hope 
of  being  able,  with  me  in  his  power,  to  make  his 
own  terms  with  the  victorious  party,  of  which  my 
noble  lord  is  captain.  You,  who  have  so  recently 
become  a  mother,  will  sympathize  with  me  at  this 
crisis.' 

"  I  will  briefly  pass  over  the  events  that  follow 
ed,"  continued  Elpsy.  "  Before  dawn  the  Lady  Les 
ter  was  prematurely  delivered  of  a  male  child ;  a 
fine,  black-eyed  boy,  healthy  and  robust;  but, 
through  weakness  and  mental  anxiety,  she  soon 
after  became  insensible,  and  neither  caressed  nor 
opened  her  eyes  to  look  upon  it.  At  sunrise  the 
insurgent  chief  entered  the  chamber,  and  demanded 
which  was  the  fisher's  brat.  There  was  an  expres 
sion  upon  his  face  and  a  dark  look  in  his  eye  that 
boded  ill.  With  a  convulsive  shudder  the  mother 
shrunk  from  his  gaze  and  flew  to  the  bed,  on  the 
foot  of  which  slept  the  two  infants.  She  was  just 
about  to  clasp  her  own  to  her  heart,  with  the  resolu 
tion  to  defend  it  with  her  life,  when  suddenly  she 
checked  the  maternal  impulse,  and,  turning  to  him, 
said,  as  if  her  conduct  would  depend  upon  his  re- 

Pty» 

"  '  What  would  you  do  with  it  ?' 

" '  Give  it  me !'  he  demanded,  more  fiercely, '  or 
I  will  slay  both  thee  and  thy  young  one.' 

"  And  he  approached  her  menacingly  as  he  spoke. 

"  She  once  more  bent  over  the  babes  !  She  dared 
not  disobey  :  yet  a  mother's  love  called  loudly  at  her 
heart.  Her  babe's  life  was  all  in  all  to  her.  It 
must  be  saved !  She  thought  only  of  saving  it ! 

" '  I  wait !'  he  said,  sternly. 

VOL.  I.— N 


146  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Instinctively  she  caught  up  the  babe  of  the  no 
ble  lady  and  placed  it  in  his  arms. 

" '  'Tis  here !  But  spare,  oh,  spare  it !'  she 
cried,  as  he  strode  from  the  chamber  with  it  in  his 
rude  grasp. 

"  Her  heart  smote  her  for  what  she  had  done. 
Leaving  behind  her  her  own  babe,  which  she  had 
saved  by  this  maternal  deception,  she  followed, 
clinging  to  him,  and  entreating  him  to  spare  the  in 
nocent.  He  heeded  her  not,  but  advanced  rapidly 
to  a  balcony  that  overhung  the  water  thirty  feet 
above  it,  and,  heedless  of  her  cries,  cast  it  over. 
She  sprang  forward,  and  saw  that  the  swaddling 
robe  in  which  it  was  wrapped  had  caught  the  point 
of  a  sharp  rock,  and  that  it  hung  suspended  by  it 
within  a  foot  of  the  water.  With  a  cry  of  joy  she 
had  nearly  sprung  off  to  save  the  babe,  when, 
seeing  that,  by  a  bold  leap  from  the  balustrade, 
she  could  reach  a  projecting  rock,  from  which  she 
could  clamber  down  to  the  water,  she  prepared  to 
take  it.  But  her  exclamation  caused  him  to  turn 
back ;  and  seeing  the  fall  of  the  child  had  been  so 
singularly  arrested,  and  that  she  was  about  to  at 
tempt  its  rescue,  he  grew  black  with  rage,  and 
with  a  violent  blow,  as  she  was  in  the  act  of  spring 
ing  to  the  rock,  struck  her  from  the  balcony  into 
the  sea.  As  she  fell  she  caught  by  the  edges  of 
the  cliff,  and,  in  some  degree,  broke  her  fall,  but, 
nevertheless,  descended  heavily  into  the  water.  It 
was  not  deep,  and  she  recovered  her  feet,  caught 
the  babe  in  her  arms,  and,  staggering  to  a  sandy 
part  of  the  shore,  sunk  down  insensible.  When 
she  recovered  her  senses  the  sun  was  high  in  the 
heavens.  She  attempted  to  rise,  but  found  she 
was  deeply  bruised,  and  that  her  spine  was  much 
injured  by  striking  against  the  rock  in  her  descent. 
She  looked  up  to  the  balcony.  It  was  closed,  and 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  147 

all  was  silent.  It  was  evident  that  the  murderer, 
supposing  the  fall  fatal,  had  not  the  courage  to 
watch  her  descent,  and  had  retired. 

"  She  immediately  resolved  not  to  enter  the  castle 
again.  With  her  soul  turned  to  bitterness,  burning 
with  vengeance  against  the  author  of  her  wrongs, 
and  suffering  with  pain,  she  prepared  to  seek,  with 
the  infant  she  held  in  her  arms,  her  father's  cot. 
For  her  own  babe  she  had  no  fears.  She  knew 
that  it  would  ever  be  regarded  as  that  to  which 
the  lady  had  given  birth.  It  was  fifteen  miles  to 
her  native  hut ;  yet  weary,  suffering,  ill,  she  drag 
ged  herself  thither  by  the  evening  of  the  second 
day.  Her  father,  who  had  long  mourned  her  dead, 
met  her  with  open  arms.  He  pitied  and  nursed 
her  for  many  long  months  till  she  recovered  her 
health ;  but  her  beauty  of  form  was  gone  for  ever. 
Her  soul  grew  dark  with  her  woes ;  vengeance 
took  the  place  of  love  in  her  heart  towards  him 
who  had  so  basely  wronged  her ;  and  bitterness 
against  all  her  species  rankled  in  her  breast,  and 
hourly  grew  deeper  and  deeper.  Her  senses  at 
length  became  unsteady.  She  grew  restless  and 
moody,  and,  after  two  years  abode  with  her  father, 
she  wandered  forth,  leaving  with  him  the  boy,  and 
never  more  returned  to  her  natal  roof.  She  sought 
a  wild  home  in  the  vicinity  of  her  own  son,  where 
she  could  daily  see  him,  watch  with  pride  his 
growth,  and  even  speak  with  him  unknown  and 
unsuspected.  But  when,  as  he  increased  in  years 
and  stature,  he  began  to  look  like  his  father,  she 
began  to  hate  him  too,  though,  alas !  it  cost  her 
many  a  pang  to  do  so. 

"  She  now  learned,  that  on  the  evening  of  the  day 
on  which  she  had  been  hurled  from  the  balcony, 
the  husband  of  the  lady,  followed  by  fifty  armed 
men,  surrounded  the  tower  and  demanded  her  sur- 


148  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

render  of  her  captor.  He  replied  that  he  would 
give  her  up  on  two  conditions :  first,  that  his 
lands  should  not  be  confiscated  :  secondly,  that  he 
should  be  permitted  to  ride  forth,  wherever  he 
would,  unmolested;  which  terms  the  noble  lord 
promised  should  be  complied  with  if  his  lady 
should  say  she  had  received  no  insult  at  his  hands  ; 
and  if,  further,  he  would  bind  himself  to  quit  the 
realm  within  nine  days  thereafter.  To  this  he  as 
sented.  The  gates  were  shortly  after  thrown  open, 
and,  mounted  on  the  blood -bay  charger  which  he 
always  rode,  he  paced  forth  from  his  stronghold, 
passed  slowly  and  sternly  through  the  lines  of  be 
siegers,  and,  after  trotting  deliberately  till  he  had  got 
a  great  ways  beyond  them,  put  spurs  to  his  horse 
and  rode  off,  no  man  knew  whither :  though  there 
is  one  knows,"  she  added,  mysteriously,  as  if  allu 
ding  to  herself,  "  that  within  nine  days  he  was  on 
the  sea,  bound  to  the  New  World. 

".The  noble  lord  took  possession  of  the  tower, 
and  joyfully  embraced  his  lady,  and  thanked  her, 
saying,  that  '  notwithstanding  she  had  been  a  pris 
oner,  she  had  not  forgotten  to  make  him  a  father ;' 
and  he  took  up  and  kissed  the  babe  as  if  it  had 
been  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  instead  of  sharing  the 
mingled  current  that  flowed  in  the  veins  of  Hurtel 
of  the  Red-Hand  and  the  fisher's  daughter ;  and 
from  thenceforward  he  took  him  home  and  made 
him  the  heir  of  his  house.  A  little  after  that  this 
brave  lord  fell  in  the  wars,  nor  ever  knew  he  the 
truth  to  his  last  dying  breath.  Thus  ends  my  story, 
Lord  Robert  of  Lester !  Who,  think  you,  was  this 
noble  lord  and  lady  ?" 

The  young  man  had  listened  to  the  latter  part  of 
her  narration  with  thrilling  attention.  As  she  was 
drawing  to  the  conclusion,  he  sprang  from  his  feet, 
and  laid  a  hand  on  either  shoulder  of  the  narrator, 


THE    WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  149 

and  looked  steadily  into  her  eyes,  as  if  he  would 
read  there  the  dreadful  secret  he  anticipated,  yet 
dared  not  meet.  He  listened  to  each  word  that 
fell  from  her  lips  with  the  most  absorbing  and 
painful  interest — his  lips  parted — his  eyes  starting 
from  their  sockets — his  face  convulsed,  and  brought 
close  to  hers — his  fingers  almost  buried  in  the  flesh 
of  her  shoulders !'  When,  at  the  conclusion,  she 
put  the  sarcastic  question  to  him,  which  he  trembled 
lest  he  could  too  well  answer,  his  hands  stole  from 
her  shoulders  and  suddenly  fastened  upon  her 
throat. 

•  "  Woman !  sorceress  !  die  !"  he  hoarsely  whis 
pered,  through  his  clinched  teeth,  with  terrible 
energy. 

She  freed  herself  from  his  grasp  with  an  extra 
ordinary  effort,  and  flung  him  from  her,  laughing 
loudly  and  wildly ! 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Robert  of  Lester!  Does  my  story 
please  thee,  my  lord  !  my  retainers  !  my  domains  /" 

He  looked  at  her  for  a  moment  with  appalling 
calmness,  and  then,  approaching  her,  said,  in  an 
even  tone,  but  in  a  hollow  voice  that  was  horrible 
to  hear, 

"  Woman  or  demon,  tell  me  truly,  who  was  this 
noble  lady  who  gave  birth  to  a  son?" 

"  Elizabeth  of  Lester,  the  '  Dark  Lady  of  the 
Rock,'  "  was  the  firm  reply. 

"  Was  this  change  of  infants  surely  made  ?"  he 
asked,  in  the  same  tone. 

"  I  have  said  it." 

"  And  what  became  of  her  child  ?" 

"  'Twas  left  with  the  fisherman." 

"  Does  he  now  live  ?"  he  asked,  with  sudden  in 
terest. 

"He  does!" 

«  As  a  fisher's  lad  ?" 

N2 


150  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  He  follows  the  craft  of  him  who  reared  him." 

"  On  the  beach  beneath  Castle  Cor  ?" 

"You  have  said." 

A  strange  expression,  too  complicated  to  analyze, 
passed  across  his  features.  But  he  continued  with 
the  same  awful  calmness  : 

"  The  woman — the  daughter — what  became  of 
her?" 

"  Thou  wilt  know  hereafter." 

"  And  her  own  boy — ha  !  was  it  a  boy  ?"  he  ask 
ed,  suddenly. 

"  It  was." 

"He  was  taken  home  by  my — by — Lord  Les 
ter?" 

"Yes." 

"  Have  they  had  no  children  since,  woman  ?" 

"  None,  ever,  save  him  who  was  born  beneath 
the  roof  of  '  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand.'  " 

"  And  this  infant — this  bastard  child — this  low 
born  boy,  grew  up  within  the  halls  of  Castle  More 
as  its  liege  lord  ?" 

"  He  did  !" 

"  And  that  boy  stands  before  you  ?" 

"  He  does !" 

His  calmness  was  appalling  to  witness.  She 
shrunk  from  looking  him  in  the  face,  and  cowered 
before  the  light  of  his  eyes. 

"  Mysterious  woman  !  how  thou  earnest  by  the 
knowledge  of  these  things  I  know  not.  I  believe 
thou  hast  spoken  truth  ;  thy  tale  hangs  too  well  to 
gether  for  malice  to  invent." 

He  struggled  with  strong  emotion.  His  brow 
darkened,  his  face  worked  convulsively.  At  last 
he  seemed  to  have  resolved  on  a  settled  purpose. 

"  Who  knows  this  hellish  secret  besides  thy 
self?"  he  asked,  his  penetrating  glance  resting  on 
Jier  face. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  151 

"  None  but  thee,"  she  said,  meeting  his  eye  with 
a  wary  look,  as  if  anticipating  danger  from  the  tone 
of  his  voice. 

"To  every  human  eye,  then,  but  thine,  I  am 
Lord  of  Lester  ?" 

"  Who  of  mortal  mould  should  suspect  thee  to 
be  other  than  he,  when  she  who  bore  thee  not  be  • 
lieves  thee  to  be  the  fruit  of  her  womb." 
Thou  wilt  swear  this  ?" 

1 1  say  it." 

'  'Tis  enough.     Does  this  fisher's  boy  know  the 
secret  of  his  birth  ?" 
;No!" 

Does  the  old  man  ?" 
:  No !" 

:  Thou  wilt  swear  it  ?" 
I  say  it." 

1  'Tis  well,  woman !     Thou  shall  die  !" 

As  he  spoke  he  drew  from  his  breast  his  hunting 
knife  and  sprang  upon  her.  She  detected  the  mo 
mentary  lighting  up  of  his  eye  ere  he  made  the 
spring,  and  alertly  avoided  the  blow  by  leaping 
through  the  door :  he  fell  forward,  and  the  blade 
shivered  against  the  stone  sides  of  the  tower. 

With  a  laugh  of  derision  she  fled  along  the  pas 
sage  pursued  by  him.  Her  voice  and  also  her 
footsteps  ceased  as  he  reached  the  steps  leading 
upward  from  the  tomb,  and,  without  any  sound  to 
guide  him,  he  groped  his  way  along  the  gallery. 
At  length  he  approached  the  light;  but,  although 
he  could  see  through  the  door  out  into  the  forest, 
she  was  nowhere  visible  !  After  vainly  searching 
every  part  of  the  ruin,  he  abandoned  the  attempt, 
remounted  his  horse,  and  spurred  towards  Castle 
More. 


152  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 


CHAPTER  V. 

"  Oh  God  !  how  changed  my  nature  with  all  this ! 
I,  that  had  been  all  love  and  tenderness — 
The  truest  and  most  gentle  heart  till  now 
That  ever  beat — grew  suddenly  a  devil !" 

Lord  Ivan  and  his  Daughter. 

WHAT  pen  can  portray,  what  language  describe 
the  feelings  of  the  haughty  Lester,  as  he  rode  at 
furious  speed  towards  Castle  More  ?  He  could 
neither  think  nor  reflect !  His  thoughts  were  con 
fused  and  tempestuous.  He  could  not  realize  that 
he  had  actually  listened  to  the  accursed  tale  with 
his  own  ears.  He  felt  rather  as  if  he  had  passed 
through  some  dreadful  dream,  and  the  idea  flashed 
on  his  mind  that  she  had  thrown  a  dark  spell  upon 
his  senses,  and  that  the  whole  was  an  illusion,  and 
altogether  the  result  of  her  art. 

By  degrees  his  thoughts  became  more  settled 
and  run  in  a  direct  channel.  He  checked  his  head 
long  speed  and  began  to  reflect :  to  recall,  word  by 
word,  the  narrative  of  Elpsy;  weigh  each  sen 
tence  ;  match  fact  with  fact ;  each  circumstance 
with  its  fellow;  and  trace  the  unbroken  thread  to 
the  last  damning  proof.  The  result  was  irresisti 
ble.  A  thousand  circumstances  to  corroborate  the 
tale  of  infamy  rose  like  phantoms  to  his  shrinking 
memory. 

He  remembered  how,  in  childhood,  a  neighbour 
ing  baron,  who  had  been  out  against  the  insurgents, 
playfully  laid  his  hand  upon  his  head,  and  told  him 
he  looked  so  much  like  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand 
that  he  must  take  good  care,  when  he  became  a 


THE   WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  153 

man,  he  did  not  lose  his  head  for  the  likeness  :  he 
remembered,  too,  how  his  childish  spirit  took  fire 
at  the  similitude,  and  that  he  resented  the  insult 
with  a  blow !  He  further  called  to  mind  how,  la 
ter  in  life,  the  more  aged  country  people,  in  passing 
him,  would  shake  their  heads  significantly  ;  and  of 
ten  the  whispered  words,  "  Hurtel  of  the  Red- 
Hand,"  would  reach  his  ears.  He  recollected, 
also,  how  Lady  Lester  (alas !  no  longer,  if  this 
tale  were  proved  true,  to  be  regarded  as  his  mother, 
yet  whom  he  had  loved  hitherto  with  the  intensest 
filial  affection)  had  reproved  him  in  his  angry 
moods,  and  forbade  him  to  frown  so  like  Hurtel 
of  the  Red-Hand.  He  called  to  mind,  too,  how 
that,  in  childhood  (unthought-  of  again  till  too  faith 
ful  memory  brought  it  back),  it  had  more  than  once 
reached  his  ears  through  the  menials,  that  Lady 
Lester,  in  her  youthful  days,  had  been  made  a 
prisoner  in  some  old  castle  by  a  rebel  chief;  and 
he  could  remember  he  had  listened  with  childish 
interest  to  its  recital  as  to  a  tale  of  enchanted  cas 
tles  and  cruel  giants.  Now  he  could  invest  it  with 
a  too  vivid  reality  !  He  had  heard,  also,  he  knew 
not  how,  and  what,  at  the  time,  left  no  distinct  im 
pression  on  his  mind,  a  scandal  which  said  that 
Lady  Lester  did  penance  for  unfaithfulness  in  her 
early  marriage  days  :  this  cottage  gossip  he  could 
now  easily  trace  to  her  imprisonment  by — could  he 
speak  it  ? — his  father  •  He,  too,  had  been  twice 
called  by  spirited  peasants,  who,  on  certain  occa 
sions,  had  resented  his  arbitrary  will — a  bastard  ! 

All  these  things  rushed  to  his  mind.  There  was 
something  in  it  beyond  mere  idle  gossip — some 
thing  independent  of  mere  accident !  The  tale  he 
had  listened  to  was  to  him  a  key  to  the  whole. 
The  inference  was  overpowering  !  It  was  as  plain 
to  his  mind  as  the  noonday  sun,  that  the  story  he 


154  CAPTAIN    KYD  J    OR, 

had  heard  from  the  lips  of  Elpsy  was  founded  in 
truth. 

"  'Tis  true  !  'tis  true  !  'tis  TRDE  !"  he  groaned, 
covering  his  face  with  his  hands. 

Oh,  was  not  this  an  appalling  and  harrowing  re 
flection  for  a  proud  spirit  like  his  ?  Was  it  not  a 
bitter,  bitter  cup  that  was  presented  to  his  lips  ? 
Alas,  how  cruelly  barbed  and  how  skilfully  direct 
ed — how  fatally  sent,  was  the  shaft  of  inexorable 
fate !  It  pierced  the  spot  where  alone  it  could 
penetrate  ;  where  its  wound  would  be  deepest,  and 
the  smart  the  keenest.  Struck  down  from  its 
high  seat  to  the  very  ground  was  that  pride  of 
birth  which  constituted  the  basis  of  his  character ; 
and  withered,  dead,  bruised  in  the  dust  lay  the 
haughtiness  of  spirit,  which,  springing  from  that 
soil,  had  flourished  like  the  green  bay-tree. 

"  Not  only  lowborn — I  could  bear  that,  I  could 
bear  that !  but,  oh  God  !  a  bastard  !  Mercy  !  mer 
cy  !  mercy !" 

He  hid  his  face  as  he  gave  utterance  to  these 
words,  and  sobbed  audibly.  He  gave  way  for  a 
few  moments  to  the  full  tide  of  his  strong  and  af 
flicting  grief  in  the  most  agonizing  manner  !  His 
soul  was  rent !  his  heart  was  broken  !  and,  alto 
gether,  he  presented  a  picture  of  moral  desolation 
and  mental  wretchedness  Uiat  was  appalling  to  con 
template.  What  thoughts  must  then  have  passed 
through  his  mind  and  wrung  his  proud  soul !  The 
reflection  that  he  must  abandon  all  his  plans  and 
hopes  as  Lord  of  Lester ;  lake  leave  of  the  luxuries 
to  which  he  had  been  accustomed ;  descend  from 
the  rank  of  a  noble  to  that  of  a  peasant ;  be  called 
"  fellow"  by  the  lowest  hind  ;  bear  the  scorn  of  the 
highborn  and  the  jeers  of  the  low ;  and,  most  of 
all,  that  he  must  for  ever  abandon,  without  hope, 
the  love  of  Kate  Bellamont,  filled  him  with  wo 
such  as  the  heart  of  man  hath  seldom  known. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  155 

"  And  need  I  forfeit  all  these  ?"  he  exclaimed, 
suddenly  checking  the  current  of  his  grief,  his  fea 
tures  lighting  up  at  the  same  time  with  guilty  ex 
ultation,  and  assuming  an  expression  of  deep  deter 
mination  ;  "  need  I  make  this  sacrifice  ?  May  I  not 
still  be  Lord  of  Lester  ?"  he  cried,  rising  in  his 
stirrups  and  almost  shouting  with  the  force  of  his 
thoughts.  "Ay,  and  will  I!  Ay,  and  will  I! 
'Tis  but  to  silence,  either  with  gold  or  true  steel, 
this  beldame,  who  is  the  sole  depositary  of  the 
secret  of  my  birth  !" 

For  a  moment  after  giving  utterance  to  this 
guilty  idea  he  rode  silently  along ;  his  honourable 
nature  and  his  inflexible  pride  both  having  instantly 
risen  at  the  criminal  suggestion,  and  revolted  at  a 
deception  so  vast.  But  there  were  two  strong  mo 
tives  which  threatened  to  weigh  down  these  better 
promptings,  though  honour  pointed  to  the  course 
he  should  alone  pursue.  He  could  not  bear — his 
proud  spirit  could  never  brook,  that  the  despised 
fisher's  lad — the  humble,  low-nurtured  peasant — 
for  such  he  was,  notwithstanding  his  noble  birth, 
should  stand  in  his  place,  and  he  himself— oh,  it  was 
madness  to  think  of  it — sink  into  the  fisher's  boy  ! 

"  No  !  perish  honour — perish  truth — perish  all 
that  is  noble  or  virtuous  in  my  nature  first !"  he 
cried,  with  the  reckless  decision  of  one  who  has  re 
solved  to  sustain  wrong  at  the  expense  of  right. 

There  was  a  second  motive,  the  love  of  Kate 
Bellamont !  Should  he  resign  her  for  ever  ?  Could 
he  endure  the  scornful  disdain  with  which  he  be 
lieved  she  would  regard  him?  Above  all,  could 
he  bear  to  have  the  handsome  fisher's  lad,  whom 
he  already  looked  upon,  in  some  sort,  in  the  light  of 
a  rival,  sue  successfully  as  Lord  of  Lester  for  her 
hand  ?  Could  he  endure  all  this  and  be  human  ? 
Could  he  resign  all  to  become  what  he  dared  not 
contemplate,  and  live  ? 


156  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  No  !"  he  cried,  vehemently,  "  away  with  all  jus 
tice  and  truth  !  let  my  heart  be  wrapped  in  a  mesh 
of  falsehoods  first !  But  need  there  be  falsehood  ? 
Silence,  silence  will  effect  it.  Is  there  injustice 
when  the  victim  is  ignorant  of  his  rights  ?"  he  ask 
ed,  mentally,  as  if  he  were  arguing  with  his  own 
soul.  "  Yes,  most  foul !  and  silence  will  be  a  liv 
ing  tongue  to  torture  me — a  never-ending  falsehood 
to  degrade — and  will  cast  over  the  soul  a  night  that 
can  never  know  a  dawn  !  Shall  I  incur  this  load 
of  guilt?  Will  what  I  gain  by  the  purchase  repay 
me  for  the  sacrifice  of  truth  and  honesty  ?  Shall  I 
not  even  be  happier,  ay,  and  more  noble,  as  the 
poor  fisher's  lad,  having  done  justice,  than  as  Lord 
of  Lester  and  Castle  More,  convicted  at  my  soul's 
tribunal  of  guilt,  and  knowing  who  and  what  I  am  ?" 

Such  was  the  train  of  reasoning  that  insensibly 
passed  through  his  mind,  and  to  which  he  gave  ut 
terance  at  this  extraordinary  crisis  of  his  fate,  and 
which  promised  to  overthrow  his  former  criminal 
resolutions. 

-  "  But  should  I  do  as  my  better  nature  prompts," 
he  continued,  after  galloping  forward  a  few  mo 
ments,  reining  up  and  pursuing  his  former  train 
of  reasoning,  "  I  need  not  be  compelled  to  take 
the  place  of  this  Lester  in  his  fishing  hut,  nor 
need  I  to  remain  within  the  atmosphere  of  Castle 
More,  to  meet  the  scorn  of  the  noble,  the  insults 
of  the  lowborn.  The  world  is  all  before  me ;  I 
have  a  ready  spirit,  and  a  hand  to  sustain  it,  and 
can  carve  my  own  way  through  it ;  and  with  hon 
our,  too  !  Ay,  I  may  yet  win  a  name  with  the  no 
blest  born  !" 

Suddenly  in  the  midst  of  this  expression  of  his 
laudable  and  honourable  purpose  he  stopped ;  a 
gleam  of  terrible  fire  shot  from  his  eyes,  while  his 
face  glowed  with  crimson  shame. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  157 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  honour !  Ha,  ha,  ha,!  a  name  ! 
I  had  forgot,"  he  repeated,  with  an  accent  bitter, 
sarcastic,  and  scornful  beyond  expression,  yet  with 
a  wretched  look  of  hopeless  despair  and  misery; 
"  what  has  a  bastard  to  do  with  honour  ?  What 
is  it  to  him  ?  I  had  forgotten  I  was  more  than 
lowborn  !  I'faith,  'twas  well  thought  of !  So  all 
my  lofty  feelings  go  for  nothing."  His  manner  now 
changed,  and  his  voice  rang  with  passion.  "  What 
have  /  to  do  with  lofty  aspirations,  with  honour, 
or  a  name  among  men  ?  Am  I  not  branded  with  in 
famy?  infamous  by  birth;  attainted  by  my  father's 
— yes,  for  I  will  acknowledge  him — my  father's 
blood  !  base  through  my  mother's  !  What  have  I 
to  do  with  honour  ?  'Tis  not  for  me.  I  know 
it  not.  Henceforward  I  will  forget  its  sound  and 
meaning.  What  have  I  to  do  with  honour  ?  Ha, 
ha,  ha  !  A  name  ?  Yes,  I  will  win  a  name  ;  1  will 
show  myself  the  true  son  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red- 
Hand.  He  shall  not  be  ashamed  of  his  blood. 
No,  no !  I  will  win  a  name  that,  be  he  on  earth  or 
in  hell,  shall  make  him  smile  and  own  me  as  bone 
of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh." 

The  scornful  energy,  fierceness  of  spirit,  and 
stern  determination  with  which  this  guilty  resolu 
tion  was  spoken,  showed  that  at  a  single  blow  was 
crushed  all  pride  of  character ;  that  the  highborn 
loftiness  of  spirit  in  which  he  had  been  educated 
had  fallen,  and  that  honour  was  for  ever  shipwreck 
ed.  He  felt  himself,  in  anticipation,  already  an 
outcast  from  the  world ;  a  shunned  and  despised 
alien ;  an  object  of  the  scorn  and  pity  of  mankind. 
And  such  he  was.  He  felt  it  to  his  heart's  core. 
Eventually,  perhaps,  he  might  have  forgiven  the 
lowness  of  his  birth,  and  risen  superior  to  this  con 
tingency  ;  but  he  could  not  forget  its  illegitimacy. 
What  had  a  bastard  to  do  among  men  !  What  had 

VOL.  I.— O 


158  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

he  to  do  with  the  love  of  highborn  maidens  ?  What 
was  to  him  the  luxuries,  the  pleasures,  the  social 
joys  of  life  ?  Nothing.  The  honours  of  earth  were 
not  for  him  ;  "  a  bastard  shall  not  enter  even  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Who,  then,  shall  con 
demn  the  resolution  of  a  proud  youth  like  Lester, 
without  due  cultivation  of  the  moral  sense ;  unre 
strained  by  religious  principle,  and  thinking,  feel 
ing  only  as  a  man  ?  Who  shall  judge  and  not 
pity  ?  Who  shall  censure  and  not  sympathize 
with  him  in  his  terrible  human  trial,  and  regard 
with  charity  even  the  darkest  aberrations  from 
morality  and  virtue  to  which  it  might  lead  him  ; 
remembering  that  he  had  the  moral  heroism  and 
godlike  virtue  to  resolve  to  become  his  own  exe 
cutioner;  the  voluntary  herald  of  the  sentence  that 
should  cut  him  off  from  rank,  title,  wealth,  yea, 
love,  and  brand  him  as  an  exile  from  his  species  ? 

Notwithstanding  the  array  of  proofs  to  substan 
tiate  the  narrative  of  Elpsy  ;  notwithstanding  the  ir 
resistible  connexion  existing  in  his  own  mind  in  sup 
port  of  its  truth,  yet  there  lingered  in  his  heart  a  faint 
hope  that  it  might  not  be  as  he  believed.  It  became 
so  dreadful  when  calmly  contemplated,  that  he  be 
gan  to  conceive  that  it  was  impossible  for  it  to  be 
true.  There  was  but  one  way  of  confirming  it,  viz., 
to  confront  Lady  Lester,  and  learn  from  her  lips 
the  truth  of  what  Elpsy  had  related  in  reference  to 
herself.  If  it  should  prove  correct,  then  he  resolved 
finally  to  decide  on  the  method  he  should  pursue. 
Gathering  up  the  reins  and  pressing  his  armed  heels 
into  his  horse's  flanks  as  he  came  to  this  determina 
tion,  he  said,  as  he  dashed  forward  to  Castle  More, 
the  towers  of  which  were  now  full  in  sight, 

"  From  her  lips — Lady  Lester's  (if  I  may  not 
call  her  mother),  will  1  have  corroboration  of  this 
foul  witch's  words.  Fly,  my  good  horse  ;  we  will 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  159 

soon  learn  whether  thou  and  I  are  to  part !  But,  if 
it  must  be  so,  no  other  shall  back  thee  after  me, 
my  faithful  animal ;  my  own  hand  shall  slay  thee 
first !" 

The  fleet  hunter  brought  him  in  a  few  moments 
to  the  gate  that  led  into  the  courtyard  surrounding 
Castle  More.  At  the  sound  of  his  approach  it  flew 
wide  open,  and,  as  he  passed  through,  the  porter 
removed  his  cap  and  bent  low  with  servile  respect. 
"  Ay,"  he  muttered,  "  'tis  so  now  !  but  he  will 
be  the  first  to  scoff  with  a  high  head,  and  turn  the 
key  upon  my  back,  when  it  shall  be  noised  abroad 
that  Robert  of  Lester  is  the  brat  of  a  peasant — the 
left-handed  offspring  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  !" 
He  threw  himself  from  his  horse,  and  cast  his 
bridle  to  his  groom,  giving  him  orders  to  hold  him 
in  readiness  for  him  to  remount  at  any  moment, 
and  entered  beneath  the  lofty  arch  of  the  castle, 
over  which  were  elaborately  sculptured  in  stone 
the  ancient  arms  of  Lester.  He  rapidly  mounted 
the  spacious  stairs  to  a  large  and  lofty  hall,  hung 
with  armour,  and  adorned  with  figures  of  mailed 
warriors,  ancestors  of  that  warlike  house.  From 
childhood  he  had  looked  upon  these  with  awe  and 
pride.  Now  he  curled  his  lip  with  haughty  de 
spair,  and  strode  past  them  with  a  bitter  smile. 
At  its  farther  extremity  he  tapped  lightly  at  a  door, 
partly  concealed  by  tapestry  of  velvet  fringed  with 
gold,  and  adorned  with  needlework  representing 
figures  and  scenes  of  a  scriptural  character.  He 
was  commanded  to  enter.  With  a  beating  heart, 
and  choking  with  the  anticipated  confirmation  of 
what  left  scarce  room  for  a  doubt,  and  which  he 
had  already  begun  to  contemplate  as  if  there  were 
no  question  of  its  truth,  he  obeyed. 

The  room  into  which  he  was  admitted  occupied 
a  small  octagonal  wing  of  the  building,  and  from  its 


160  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

single  Gothic  window  commanded  a  prospect  of  the 
mere  below,  the  distant  forest,  and  a  blue,  wavy  line 
of  hills  skirting  the  northern  horizon.  It  appeared 
to  be  used  partly  as  a  boudoir  and  library,  partly 
as  a  chapel :  a  small  altar ;  a  marble  font  contain 
ing  water;  a  crucifix  at  one  end,  with  two  lighted 
wax  tapers  burning  before  it,  appertaining  to  it  in 
its  more  sacred  character.  It  was  hung  with  brown 
silk  tapestry,  on  which  was  worked,  in  yellow  silk, 
the  history  of  the  martyrdoms  of  the  apostles.  Im 
mediately  about  the  altar  the  hangings  were  of  black 
velvet,  giving  that  part  of  the  room  a  religious  and 
gloomy  character.  A  rich,  but  soft,  light  poured  in 
through  the  stained  glass  of  the  window,  and  shed 
a  pleasing  glow  over  all. 

Near  the  window,  working  with  her  needle  flow 
ers  of  gold  on  an  altar-piece  of  snow  white  satin, 
sat  the  mistress  of  Castle  More — "  the  Dark  Lady 
of  the  Rock  !"  She  was  of  a  tall  and  stately  fig 
ure,  with  an  innate  air  of  high  birth  and  breeding : 
her  features  were  strikingly  noble,  and  still  bore 
traces  of  eminent  beauty.  Her  eyes  were  black 
and  piercing ;  and  her  brows  very  dark  and  thick, 
yet  not  masculine,  but  giving  rather  softness  and  in 
tellect  to  the  expression  of  the  eyes.  Her  hair  was 
jet  black,  and  confined  beneath  a  close  nun's  cap, 
and  her  complexion  was  deep  brown,  which,  with 
the  general  dark  tinge  of  her  face  and  features,  had 
got  for  her  from  the  peasants  the  appellation  by 
which  among  them  she  was  more  commonly  desig 
nated.  The  lustre  of  her  fine  eyes  had  given  place 
to  a  melancholy  hue  ;  and  the  smile,  which  in  youth 
had  fascinated  the  gallant  Lord  of  Lester,  was  sad 
and  pensive.  Calmness,  gentle  resignation,  and 
devotion  were  now  the  characteristics  of  her  coun 
tenance.  She  was  evidently  one  who  regarded  this 
world  as  the  path  to  that  of  a  happier,  and  looked 


THE   WIZARD    OP    THE    SEA.  161 

to  that  happier  for  the  enjoyment  which,  without 
her  deceased  lord,  she  could  not  find  in  this.  Twelve 
years  had  passed  since  the  news  was  brought  her 
that  he  had  fallen  before  the  walls  of  Saragossa, 
breathing  her  name  in  his  last  sigh.  From  that 
hour  she  seldom  had  been  seen  to  smile  ;  but,  shun 
ning  all  intercourse  with  those  around  her,  she  com 
muned  only  with  her  priest  and  her  God. 

"  I  thought  I  knew  the  footfall  of  your  horse, 
Robert,  but  did  not  expect  you  so  soon,"  she  said, 
in  a  quiet,  subdued  tone  ;  "  there  is  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  yet  to  sunset,  and  you  seldom  return  from 
Castle  Cor  till  it  is  very  late.  And  Kate's  birth 
day,  too  !  How  is  this  ?" 

She  knotted  her  thread  as  she  spoke,  and  look 
ed  up,  showing  a  countenance  chastened  by  widow 
ed  sorrow,  and  wearing,  as  she  gazed  upon  him,  a 
kindly  look,  rather  than  a  smile,  of  welcome.  The 
troubled  expression  of  his  features ;  his  flushed 
brow ;  his  excited  manner,  and  nervous  tread  as 
he  crossed  the  floor  to  the  window,  struck  her  with 
surprise  and  alarm. 

"  What  has  happened,  Robert  ?  your  feelings  are 
wounded,  I  fear.  Come  and  tell  me  what  that  saucy 
maiden,  Kate  Bellamont,  has  been  saying  to  give 
you  such  uneasiness." 

This  was  spoken  with  maternal  affection,  and  an 
approach  to  playfulness  of  manner. 

The  young  man  stood  by  the  window  and  gazed 
down  into  the  placid  mere,  fixing  his  eyes  vacantly 
on  a  fleet  of  stately  swans  that  sailed  on  its  glassy 
breast,  and  remained  silent.  He  knew  not  how 
to  commence  the  subject — he  knew  not  what  to 
say! 

"  Robert,  my  son,"  she  said,  affectionately  at 
tempting  to  take  his  hand,  "  something  has  gone 
O2 


162  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

wrong  with  you  to-day  ;  make  a  confidant  of  your 
mother !" 

"  Would  to  God  thou  wert  my  mother  /"  he 
cried,  almost  suffocating. 

"  Thy  mother,  Robert !  what  do  these  words 
mean  ?" 

"  That  my  future  happiness  and  misery  depend 
on  your  lips,"  he  replied,  turning  towards  her  and 
grasping  her  hands  with  strong  emotion. 

"  Explain  !"  she  said,  alarmed  and  deeply  moved 
by  the  distress  and  earnestness  of  his  manner. 

"  Did  you  ever — (sustain  me,  Heaven,  at  this 
moment,"  he  gasped)  "  ever,  face  to  face,  meet 
Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  ?" 

"  Robert,  what  motive,  so  terrible  in  its  effect  on 
your  mind,  can  have  led  you  to  ask  this  ?" 

"  Answer  me,  my  mother — speak,  Lady  Les 
ter!" 

"  Yes !"  and  she  shuddered,  as  if  some  painful 
incident  of  the  past  seemed  to  press  upon  her  mem 
ory. 

"  Where  ?  Speak,  and  tell  me  truly,  if  you  love 
me  !"  he  eloquently  entreated. 

"  Heaven  and  the  blessed  saints  preserve  you, 
my  son  !  'Tis  a  sad  story  !  Why  would  you  seek 
to  know  this  now  ?  Be  calm  ;  you  are  ill — very 
ill!" 

"  No,  I  am  not.     Answer  me — where  T 

"  He  took  me  prisoner,  and  bore  me  on  horse 
back—" 

"Whither?"  he  cried,  impatiently  interrupting 
her. 

"  To  his  tower." 

"  And,  ere  thy  husband  rescued  thee,  I  was  born 
there  ?" 

"  Yes.  But  how  heard  you  this  ?  I  knew  not 
that  it  was  known  to  you,  though  I  had  no  motive, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  163 

surely,  in  keeping  the  knowledge  of  it  from  you," 
she  said,  with  surprise.  "  Is  it  this,  then,  that  has 
so  strangely  excited  you,  my  son  ?" 

"  Who  attended  on  thee  at  that  crisis  ?" 

"  Robert— boy  !" 

"Answer  me,  Lady  Lester,  I  conjure  thee!  in 
the  presence  of  this  holy  symbol  of  our  religion  !" 
he  added,  with  stern  solemnity,  taking  a  small  dia 
mond  crucifix  from  her  worktable  and  holding  it 
up  before  her. 

"  A  pale  young  woman :  I  fear  me,  a  leman  of 
that  evil  man." 

"  Was  she  a  mother  ?" 

"  Who  has  taught  thee  to  put  such  questions  as 
ihese,  young  man  ?"  she  said,  with  something  of  se- 
yerity  in  her  voice. 

"  Answer  me,  Lady  Lester,  I  pray  thee  !" 

"  She  had  an  infant  of  three  days'  old." 

**  Was  it  with  her  in  thy  room  ere  thou  becamest 
a  mother  ?" 

"  It  was." 

"Did  you  see  it?" 

"  No  ;  she  kept  it  swathed  up,  as  if  from  shame." 

"  Who  first  gave  your  infant  to  your  arms  ?" 

"  No  one.  I  had  fainted,  and,  when  I  came  to 
my  senses,  I  found  my  babe  lying  on  the  bed  be 
side  me  ;  and,"  added  the  lady,  with  a  mother's  light 
rekindling  in  her  eyes,  "  with  all  a  young  mother's 
first  love,  I  clasped  it  to  my  bosom." 

"And  this  woman  and  her  child?" 

"  I  never  saw  them  more.  That  day  my  noble 
lord  rescued  me  ;  and  after  he  had  seen  and  kissed 
the  babe,  I  remember  he  pleasantly  said  to  those 
around,  '  In  losing  one  I  have  gained  two.'  My 
poor,  departed  Lester  !  Heaven  be  merciful  to  his 
soul!"' 

"  And  I  am  that  babe  ?"  . 


164  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Thou  art,  my  son  !"  she  said,  affectionately. 

"  I  am  not !"  he  cried,  fiercely. 

"  Not  my  son  ?" 

"  Not  thy  son  /" 

"What  mean  you,  insolent  boy?" 

"  In  one  word,  I  will  tell  thee.  The  guilty  para 
mour  of  that  woman  having  resolved  to  put  out  of 
the  world  the  living  witness  of  the  wrong  he  had 
done  her,  threatened  also  her  life  when  she  refused 
to  surrender  it.  Prompted  by  the  instinct  of  ma 
ternal  love  to  save  it,  she  laid  it,  while  thou  wert  in 
a  state  of  insensibility,  by  thy  side,  and  gave  thine 
to  him,  palming  it  off  as  her  own,  which,  by  this 
stratagem,  was  saved — and  still  lives.  I  am  HE  !" 

"  Robert  of  Lester  !"  cried  the  lady,  rising  up 
and  fixing  her  piercing  eyes,  bright  with  unwonted 
fire,  upon  his  face,  "  mock  me  not ;  spare  thy 
mother's  heart !" 

"  Before  God  I  speak  truly.     I  am  not  thy  son." 

"  Holy  Virgin !  Mercy,  Heaven !  mercy  !" 
shrieked  the  lady,  and  fell  nearly  lifeless  into  his 
arms. 

For  a  few  seconds  there  was  a  deep  silence,  like 
that  of  death,  throughout  that  little  chamber.  He 
had  not  anticipated  this !  Absorbed  in  the  contem 
plation  of  his  own  misery,  he  had  not  thought  of 
the  blow  he  should  inflict,  by  the  disclosure  of  the 
dreadful  secret,  upon  the  mind  of  Lady  Lester. 
It  suddenly  occurred  to  him  that  there  was  yet  a 
balm  in  the  existence  of  her  true  son  which  might 
heal  the  wound  he  had  made.  Filial  affection 
caused  him  immediately  to  address,  and,  by  touch 
ing  this  chord,  endeavour  to  restore  her  once  more 
to  life  and  hope. 

"  Lady  !"  he  said,  in  a  hoarse  tone,  that — so  deep 
were  the  feelings  that  governed  it — startled  even 
himself. 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  165 

"  Ha  !  Robert !  my  son  !"  she  cried,  standing  up 
and  looking  wildly  in  his  face ;  "  what  is  this  I 
have  heard  ?  Is  it  a  dream — some  terrific  dream  ?" 

"  Thou  hast  not  dreamed,  lady,"  he  said,  sadly. 

"  No,  I  have  not,"  she  cried,  with  energy,  and 
with  the  sudden  return  of  all  her  faculties  ;  "no,  I 
have  heard  thy  lips  deny  me.  Thou  hast  said  I 
am  not  thy  mother — that  thou  art  not  my  own 
child !" 

"Do  you  remember  the  tale  I  have  told  you, 
lady  ?"  he  asked,  calmly. 

"Remember?  each  word  is  seared  into  my 
heart !" 

"  And  do  you  believe  me  to  be  your  son  ?" 

"  Believe  ?  believe  !  I  know  not  what  to  be 
lieve.  What  should  I  believe  !  I  believe  thou  art 
my  own  boy — mine,  mine,  mine  /" 

As  she  spoke  she  threw  her  arms  with  frantic 
wildness  about  his  neck,  and  hugged  him  convul 
sively  to  her  bosom. 

"  Lady,  'tis  vain  to  shut  your  eyes  to  the  truth. 
I  am  not  your  son — but  your  son  lives  !" 

"  He  does,  he  does  live,  and  I  clasp  him  to  my 
heart,"  she  cried,  energetically,  folding  him  closer 
to  her  bosom. 

"  Nay—" 

"  Nay — nay,  but  I  will  hold  thee  !  they  shall  not 
tear  thee  from  rne  !  No,  no  !  they  must  take  my 
heart  too,  for  its  strings  are  bound  all  about  thee, 
and  thou  art  tied  too  long  and  too  strong  to  it  by  the 
thousand  chords  of  a  mother's  love  to  be  parted 
from  it  now.  Ha,  ha !  They  shall  not  part  us  ! 
Shall  they,  boy  ?"  ' 

He  looked  up  into  her  face  and  saw  that  her 
mind  wandered  ;  that  reason  was  falling  from  its 
throne ! 

"  Mother !"  he  said,  in  tones  of  gentle  persua- 


166  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

sion  :  "  mother !"  and  he  affectionately  kissed  her 
cheeks ;  "  mother  !"  he  repeated  a  third  time,  in 
the  most  touching  tones  of  filial  love — "  I  am,  I 
will  be,  your  own  dear  son  !" 

The  softer  feelings  of  her  soul  came  back  ;  all 
the  mother  rushed  from  the  heart  to  the  eyes  ;  and 
dissolved,  melted  by  his  appeal,  she  burst  into 
tears,  and  wept  freely  and  long  upon  his  shoulder. 

At  length  she  became  composed ;  when,  em 
bracing  his  opportunity,  though  he  had  been  se 
verely  tempted  in  the  interval  to  let  it  rest  for  ever, 
he  spoke  again  with  cautious  delicacy  upon  the  fa 
tal  subject.  She  listened  in  silence.  She  heard 
him  with  calmness  as  he  went  on  and  explained  to 
her  the  successive  steps  by  which  the  exchange 
was  effected,  and  unfolded  to  her,  link  by  link, 
the  connected  chain  of  the  witch's  narrative.  He 
convinced  her — not  of  its  probability,  but  of  its 
possibility.  Collecting  all  her  strength  of  mind, 
she  tried  to  contemplate  the  subject  with  compo 
sure.  She  succeeded :  weighed  it  well,  in  all  its 
parts  and  bearings  ;  nicely  balanced  each  particle, 
and  sifted  each  doubtful  circumstance.  Suddenly 
she  turned  to  him,  and  said  eagerly,  and  with  an 
eye  kindling  with  hope, 

"  It  may  not  be  so,  Robert !  She  may,  in  the 
agitation  of  the  moment,  when  both  were  swathed, 
have  caught  up  her  own  child  !" 

"  At  such  a  moment,  above  all,  would  a  mother 
know  her  own !"  he  said,  firmly,  but  looking  as  if 
he  would,  if  he  dared,  still  cherish  a  hope. 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  and  she  must,  too,  have  seen  it  after 
ward,"  she  said,  in  a  tone  of  deep  despondency. 
"  But  who  told  thee  this  fatal  tale  ?"  she  asked, 
quickly. 

"  Elpsy,  the  sorceress  !" 

"  Ha  !"  exclaimed  the  lady,  turning  pale.     "  I 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  167 

fear,  then,  it  is  too  true  !  This  fearful  woman  has 
knowledge  of  hidden  and  wondrous  things  through 
her  unholy  art.  Oh,  God  !  that  she  had  used  it  to 
a  better  end  !  But,  then,  there  may  have  been  a 
mistake  !  Malice — her  hatred  of  her  species  may 
have  caused  her  to  give  the  facts  this  frightful  turn  ! 
Dreadful  being!  thus  to  loose,  even  by  raising  a 
doubt  of  thy  birthright,  my  last  hold  on  earthly 
happiness,  and  wreck  all  my  hopes  in  thee.  Her 
face  ever  has  haunted  me  as  if  for  evil !  It  seems 
to  me  as  if  I  had  seen  it  in  the  dreams  of  my  child 
hood.  I  know  not  how  it  is,  but  I  never  looked 
upon  her  without  presentiments  of  evil  and  vague 
sensations  of  suffering,  as  if  her  very  presence  was 
associated  with  scenes  of  terror.  Now  are  they  all, 
indeed,  realized  !  But  I  will  not  give  thee  up, 
Robert,  my  son — my  own  son  !"  she  cried,  fran 
tically  !  "  I  will  cling  to  the  hope  that  the  fatal  ex 
change  was  not  made  !" 

He  suffered  her  to  embrace  him  again  and 
again,  and  then,  after  a  few  moments'  silence,  and 
speaking  in  an  indifferent  tone,  he  said, 

"  Lady  Lester  !  Was  thy  noble  husband  of  fair 
complexion  ?" 

"  No,  dark  as  the  Spaniard's,  yet  it  was  exceed 
ingly  rich  to  the  eye  with  its  bright  blood  !"  she 
said,  with  conjugal  pride. 

"  Were  his  eyes  blue  ?" 

"Black  as  night,  large  and  staglike,  yet  soft  as 
a  fawn's  in  the  gentleness  of  their  expression — but 
terrible  as  the  eagle's  when  roused." 

"  Were  his  locks  golden  ?" 

"  The  plumage  of  the  raven  not  more  black  and 
glossy !" 

"  Was  he  tall  of  stature  and  strongly-framed  ?" 

"  Scarce  even  as  tall  as  thyself  now  ;  his  frame 
was  light  and  elegant,  but  manly  :  to  sum  him  up 


168  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

in  all,"  she  said,  carried  away  by  the  prideful  recol 
lections  awakened  by  these  allusions  to  him,  "  he 
was  a  statesman  ;  a  patron  of  letters  and  the  arts  ;  a 
gallant  knight,  a  brave  soldier,  and  an  accomplished 
scholar :  he  was  called  the  handsomest  man  of  his 
time :  above  all,  he  was  a  Christian  !" 

"  Am  I  like  him  .?"  asked  Lester,  startling  her 
with  the  depth  of  his  voice,  and  at  once  showing 
her  the  drift  of  his  seemingly  aimless  questions. 
"  Is  my  stature  slight  ?  are  these  locks  raven  ?  are 
these  eyes  black  ?  is  the  hue  of  the  Spaniard  on 
my  cheek  ?" 

The  lady  shrunk  from  his  words,  covered  her 
face  with  her  hands,  and  despairingly  shook  her 
head. 

"Say,"  he  added,  with  increasing  energy,  "is 
there  the  faintest  lineament  in  my  face — a  scarce 
perceptible  cast  of  the  eye — a  bend  of  the  brow — 
a  movement  of  the  lip — a  motion  of  arm  or  finger — 
aught  in  my  carriage,  walk,  or  voice,  that  reminds 
thee  of  thy  noble  husband  ?" 

"  No,  no,  no  !     Stop,  stop,  you  will  kill  me  !" 

"  One  word  more !  Answer  me  truly,  Lady 
Lester,  as  you  stand  before  Heaven,  have  I  not 
the  same  fair  skin — the  same  light  flowing  hair — 
the  same  blue  eyes — the  stature,  the  very  voice — 
ay,  the  very  selfsame  frown  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red- 
Hand?" 

"  Ha  !  now  I  see  it !  Oh,  Jesu  Maria  !  Thou 
art  his  very  image  !  Mercy,  mercy,  mercy  !"  and, 
with  a  shriek  wrung  from  a  breaking  heart,  she  fell, 
as  if  dead,  upon  the  floor. 

For  a  few  moments  he  stood  gazing  upon  her 
with  the  cool,  decisive  smile  of  a  man  for  whom 
fate  has  done  her  worst,  and  who  defies  and  laughs 
to  scorn  her  farther  triumphs  over  his  soul.  His 
fixed  countenance  was  more  fearful  than  phrensied 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  169 

agitation  or  tremendous  wrath.  It  was  the  dark, 
still  cloud  that  rests  upon  the  crater  ere  the  volca 
no  bursts  into  flame.  Gradually,  as  he  gazed  on 
that  beloved  countenance,  pale  and  deathly  in  its 
aspect,  he  sunk  on  his  knees  beside  her,  took  her 
insensible  hands  within  his  own,  and  kissed  her  un 
conscious  brow,  while  fast  and  thick  dropped  the 
heavy  tears  upon  her  face. 

"  Mother,  for  mother  thou  art,  indeed  !"  said  he, 
feelingly,  "  I  would  not  have  struck  this  blow  to 
thy  heart ;  but  I  could  not  stand  before  thee  a  de 
ceiver,  an  impostor !  I  could  not  encounter  the 
affectionate  glance  of  thy  pure  eyes,  meet  thy  gaze 
of  maternal  love,  and  know  they  were  not  mine. 
Yet  thou  art  my  mother !  all  the  mother  I  have 
ever  known.  Have  I  not  drawn  life  from  that 
breast  ?  Has  not  my  infant  head  been  pillowed  from 
the  first  on  that  maternal  bosom  ?  Didst  thou  not 
hear  me  when  my  infant  lips  first  lisped  thy  ma 
ternal  name  ?  Hast  thou  ever  known  other  son  than 
me — I  other  parent  ?  Thou  art  my  mother  !  I  am 
thy  son,  though  the  blood  of  strangers,  whom  I 
have  never  known,  flows  in  my  plebeian  veins  ! 
Mother,  we  must  part !  The  house  of  Lester  may 
not  have  a  baseborn  lord  !  Would  to  God  I  could 
have  turned  aside  this  stroke  from  thee  !  But  it 
is  past !  Henceforward  thou  art  nothing  to  me — 
I  nothing  to  thee.  Farewell,  farewell,  my  own,  my 
beloved  mother !" 

He  bent  over  her,  and  affectionately  and  pas 
sionately  embraced  her,  pressing  his  lips  to  hers, 
and  bathing  her  face  with  his  hot  tears.  She 
seemed  to  be  awakened  to  sudden  consciousness 
by  the  act ;  and  throwing  her  arms  about  him,  she 
faintly  articulated,  "  My  son !  my  son !"  and  re 
lapsed  into  insensibility.  He  clasped  her  uncon 
scious  form  in  one  more  long  embrace,  kissed  her 

VOL.  I.— P 


170  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

for  the  last  time,  and  gently  disengaged  himself 
from  her  arms. 

His  movements  became  now  direct  and  decided. 
He  approached  the  escritoir,  and  hastily  wrote  on  a 
leaf  of  her  missal, 

"  Lady  Lester — nay,  mother — dearest  MOTHER  ! 
I  have  just  taken  my  last  leave  of  you.  I  go  forth 
into  the  world  and  commit  rny  fortune  to  its  cur 
rents.  Baseborn  —  guilty-born  —  attainted  by  my 
father's  crimes,  I  am  unworthy  your  love  or  a 
place  in  your  thoughts.  Henceforward  let  me  be 
nothing  to  thee  !  Forget  that  I  have  ever  existed. 
Though  I  depart,  yet  is  Lester  not  without  an  heir  ! 
you  not  without  a  son  !  Thy  child  thou  wilt  find 
with  the  fisherman  Meredith,  at  Castle  Cor.  He 
is  the  perfect  semblance  of  thy  husband,  Robert, 
Lord  of  Lester,  as  you  have  described  him  to  me ; 
and,  when  your  eyes  behold  him,  your  heart  will 
at  once  claim  him.  He  is  proud  and  high-spirited, 
and  worthy  of  the  name  he  is  destined  to  bear. 
Seek  him  out ;  and  may  he  fill  the  place  in  your 
heart  from  which  I  am  for  ever  excluded.  Fare 
well,  my  mother,  for  other  mother  than  thee  have 
I  never  known — will  never  know  ! 

"  ROBERT, 
"  -Son  ofHurtel  of  the  Red-Hand." 

He  placed  the  paper  open  before  the  crucifix, 
where  she  was  wont  to  pray,  and  was  himself  un 
consciously  in  the  act  of  kneeling  to  seek  a  bless 
ing  from  Heaven,  when  he  hastily  recovered  his 
erect  attitude,  saying,  with  a  thrilling  laugh  of 
reckless  hopelessness, 

"  Never  more  do  I  bend  the  knee  to  Heaven  ! 
What  have  I  to  do  with  prayer  ?" 

He  approached  the  door,  and  then  turned  back 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  171 

to  gaze  an  instant  with  a  melancholy  look  on  the 
prostrate  form  of  Lady  Lester : 

"  Nay,  I  must  not  leave  thee  so  !"  he  said  :  return 
ing,  he  tenderly  raised  her  up,  and  used  means  to 
restore  her. 

After  a  few  moments  she  revived  and  gazed 
wildly  around  her. 

"  Robert,  is  it  you  ?  are  you  beside  me  ?  Oh, 
my  son,  I  have  had  such  a  tale  of  horror  revealed 
to  me  as  I  slept." 

She  pressed  her  fingers  upon  her  eyelids  as  if 
to  recall  what  appeared  to  her  a  dark  dream.  As 
she  did  so  he  stole  from  her  towards  the  door — 
lingered — turned  back — severed  a  bright  lock  from 
his  temples,  pressed  it  to  his  lips,  and  placed  it 
within  her  hand ;  he  then  hastily  kissed  her  pale 
forehead,  saying,  half  aloud, 

"  Here  I  bury  all  human  feelings  /" 

The  next  moment  he  precipitately  fled  from  the 
room. 

Roused  by  the  sound  of  the  closing  door,  she 
shrieked  his  name,  and,  hastening  through  the  dark 
hall,  called  in  tones  of  distressing  anguish, 

"  Robert,  my  son  !  my  boy  !  my  dear  boy ! 
leave  not  your  mother  desolate  !'•' 

He  stopped  his  ears  to  the  sounds,  quickened 
his  steps,  and  threw  himself  into  his  saddle. 

"  'Tis  full  late,  my  lord,  to  ride  forth  alone," 
said  the  groom,  as  he  held  the  stirrup. 

"  Lord  me  not,  Tyrell.  If  thou  hast  chanced  to 
be  born  in  wedlock,  thou  hast  better  blood  in  thy 
veins  than  I  !" 

"  How  mean  you,  my  lord  ?"  said  the  astonished 
menial. 

"  Didst  ever  hold  stirrup  for  a  fisher's  son  ?" 

"  No,  my  lord  !" 

"  Thou  liest.     For  thou  hast  but  now  done  so. 


172  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

Your  lord  has  found  out  that  he  is  but  a  fisher- 
woman's  brat ;  and  a  fisher's  brat  is  about  to  find 
out  that  he  is  a  lord." 

"  You  speak  in  riddles,  my  lord." 

"  Set  thy  wits,  and  those  of  yonder  gaping  fel 
lows,  to  work  to  unriddle  them,"  was  the  reply  of 
the  degraded  youth  as  he  buried  his  spurs  deep  in 
his  horse's  flanks.  "  Give  the  compliments  of  the 
son  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  to  your  new  lord, 
knaves,  and  say  he  has  taken  the  liberty  to  borrow 
his  hunter  for  a  time  !"  he  cried,  turning  round  in 
the  saddle  as  he  rode  off. 

The  next  moment  he  dashed  across  the  draw 
bridge  and  disappeared  in  the  twilight  gloom  of  the 
forest,  leaving  the  wonder-stricken  retainers  to  pick 
the  kernel  from  the  difficult  nut  he  had  left  them 
to  crack  ;  and,  by  putting  their  sage  heads  together, 
with  the  aid  of  some  expressions  dropped  by  the 
frantic  Lady  Lester,  they  were  not  long  in  arriving 
at  a  shrewd  guess  at  the  truth. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  Guiltless  am  I,  but  bear  the  penalty  '" 
»  *  *  *       '     *  * 

"  Wild  was  the  place,  but  wilder  his  despair  : 

Low  shaggy  rocks  that  o'er  deep  caverns  scowl 
Echo  his  groans :  the  tigress  in  her  lair 

Starts  at  the  sound,  and  answers  with  a  growl." 

Zophiel 
"Hurl'd 

From  the  topmost  height  of  his  ambition, 
It  became  his  ambition  to  mate  him 
With  the  lowest." 

THE  night  was  fast  approaching  as  the  desolate 
outcast  entered  the  forest.  He  hailed  the  gather 
ing  darkness  with  joy,  for  it  was  in  unison  with  the 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  173 

gloom  of  his  soul.  The  howl  of  the  wildest  storm 
would  have  been  music  to  his  ears  !  He  could 
have  mocked  with  shouts  of  gladness  the  rattling 
thunder,  and  played  with  the  shafts  of  the  glittering 
lightning. 

He  rode  deep  into  the  wood — whither  he  cared 
not  so  that  he  left  behind  him  all  that  he  had  lost. 
For  half  an  hour  he  thought  of  nothing  but  urging 
his  horse  forward  at  the  top  of  his  speed.  He 
banished  thought,  reflection,  sensation.  He  dared 
not  think.  He  found  relief  only  in  animal  action 
and  rapid  motion,  and  rode  furiously  onward  with 
out  knowing  or  regarding  the  course  taken  by  his 
horse,  who  instinctively  followed  the  dark  windings 
of  the  forest  paths. 

At  length  the  moon  rose  and  shone  down  upon 
him  through  the  tree  tops.  Its  light  seemed  to  re 
store  him  to  himself.  He  checked  his  rapid  course, 
and  gazed  at  her  pale  orb ;  as  he  looked,  reflection, 
returned,  and  he  began  to  realize  his  situation,  and 
to  taste  the  full  bitterness  of  the  cup  of  which  he 
had  drunken.  The  past,  the  present,  the  future, 
flashed  with  all  their  naked  colours  upon  his  mind. 
The  picture  his  imagination  painted  with  the  hues 
they  lent  was  too  appalling  to  contemplate ;  and, 
as  if  the  fabled  influence  of  the  planet,  the  soft 
light  of  which  had  restored  him  to  reflection,  had 
acted  upon  his  fevered  brain,  he  was  suddenly  con 
verted  into  a  maniac.  He  rose  upright  in  his  stir 
rups,  and  shouted,  shrieked,  till  the  forests  rang 
again.  He  shook  his  clinched  fists  at  the  placid 
moon,  that  seemed  smilingly  to  mock  his  woes. 
He  spurred  on  his  horse  till  the  animal  groaned 
with  pain,  and  plunged  madly  forward  with  his 
phrensied  rider !  He  would  then  rein  him  up, 
and,  gnashing  his  teeth,  lift  his  hands  above  his 
head,  and  curse  God  and  man.  Then  he  would 


174  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

again  shout  with  phrensy,  and  gore  his  steed  till 
he  became  furious  and  snorted  with  rage,  and  ride 
once  more  forward  with  the  speed  of  the  wind. 

These  passions  were  too  violent  to  last.  His 
wild  excitement  gradually  subsided  ;  his  horse  was 
suffered  to  move  at  his  own  pace ;  and,  with  his 
arms  folded  moodily,  and  his  chin  drooping  on  his 
breast,  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  stern  and  gloomy 
thoughts  of  his  situation,  and,  for  a  time,  buried  in 
the  depths  of  his  own  meditations,  seemed  to  be 
wholly  unconscious  of  external  objects.  He  rode 
on  in  this  way  for  more  than  an  hour,  when  he  was 
aroused  by  the  sudden  stopping  of  his  horse.  He 
looked  up  and  saw  before  him  a  dilapidated  gate, 
which  barred  his  farther  progress.  Beyond,  visi 
ble  by  the  full  flood  of  moonlight,  was  a  lonely 
square  tower,  flanked  by  a  single  wing,  topped  with 
a  battlement.  He  listened,  and  thought  he  heard 
the  dashing  of  waves  upon  the  beach.  The  whole 
scene  was  new  to  him  !  Where  could  his  faithful 
steed  have  borne  him  ?  From  the  moment  he  had 
left  Castle  More  behind  all  had  seemed  like  a  blank 
to  him.  How  far,  and  whither,  could  he  have  rid 
den  ?  He  looked  up  at  the  moon.  It  had  not  risen 
when  he  left  Castle  More,  yet  it  now  rode  high  in 
the  heavens !  By  her  position  it  was  near  midnight. 

Indifferent  where  he  wandered,  he  leaped  the 
sunken  gate,  and  rode  up  to  the  tower.  It  was 
not  in  ruins,  yet  wore  an  aspect  of  desolation  and 
neglect.  Its  loneliness  harmonized  with  his  own 
situation,  and  was  grateful  to  him.  He  rode  round 
the  angle  of  a  buttress,  when  the  sea  suddenly 
opened  before  him,  and  he  saw  that  the  tower  stood 
on  a  rock  thirty  or  forty  feet  above  it,  and  that 
where  it  overhung  the  water  projected  a  small  bal 
cony.  A  sudden  thought  flashed  upon  his  mind 
as  he  discovered  this. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  175 

"  It  must  be  !"  he  exclaimed,  with  animation ; 
"  'tis  the  tower  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  !  This 
moat,  yonder  ruined  drawbridge,  its  situation,  and, 
above  all,  that  balcony,  one  and  all,  identify  it 
with  Elpsy's  description.  By  the  bones  of  my 
red-handed  sire !  thou  knewest  what  thou  wert 
about  to  bring  me  hither,  sagacious  animal !"  he 
added,  sarcastically,  patting  the  noble  horse  on  the 
neck ;  "  'tis  fitting  I  should  take  possession  of  my 
father's  towers  with  the  inheritance  of  his  name. 
Ha,  ha !  I  am  not  quite  a  vagabond !"  and  he 
laughed  scornfully. 

He  started  with  surprise,  for  the  laugh  seemed 
to  be  echoed  from  the  tower. 

"  'Twas  a  human  voice,  or  else  a  spirit  mock 
ing  !  If  demons  do  rejoice  over  the  miseries  of 
mankind,  they  may  well  hold  a  jubilee  in  honour  of 
mine.  Laugh  on,  imps  !  I  am  a  fit  subject  for  your 
merriment !"  and  he  laughed  with  nervous  derision. 

Again  he  started,  for  he  was  answered  by  a 
laugh  so  wild  that  it  chilled  his  blood.  The  sound 
seemed  to  proceed  from  an  upper  room  in  the 
wing  of  the  building. 

"  Fiend  or  flesh,  it  shall  rue  this  merriment !" 
he  cried,  leaping  to  the  ground  and  hastening  to  the 
door  of  the  tower. 

It  was  ajar ;  he  dashed  it  open  with  his  heel,  and 
found  himself  in  a  long,  low  hall,  at  the  extremity  of 
which  was  the  window  that  opened  on  the  balcony, 
through  which  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  glimmer 
ing  sea.  By  the  light  it  afforded  he  crossed  the 
hall,  and,  standing  on  the  balcony,  glanced  an  in 
stant  over  the  vast  moonlit  expanse  of  water,  and 
then,  with  a  strange  interest,  the  whole  of  Elpsy's 
story  rushing  vividly  to  his  mind,  he  shudderingly 
cast  his  eyes  down  the  rock  which  stood  in  deep 
shadow.  Even  by  the  indistinct  light  he  could  dis- 


176  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

cern  the  sharp  projection  on  which  the  garments  of 
the  infant  had  caught  in  its  descent,  and  not  four 
feet  distant  from  him,  on  a  level  with  the  window, 
was  the  rock  on  which  the  fisher's  daughter — his 
mother — was  in  the  act  of  springing,  when  hurled 
into  the  sea  by — his  father.  On  that  very  balcony 
had  he  stood  to  do  the  deed !  Strange,  wonderful, 
overpowering  were  his  sensations.  He  held  his 
breath  with  the  intensity  of  his  thoughts. 

"  Here,"  said  he,  mentally,  placing  his  hand  on 
the  balustrade,  "  has  lain  my  unknown  mother's 
hand ;  it  warmed  this  senseless  iron,  which  can 
give  me  back  no  warmth  in  return.  Here  pressed 
the  foot  of  my  father  !  Here  they  parted  !  How  ! 
ah,  how  1  Where  are  they  now  ?  Where  is  he  ? 
does  he  live  ?  Where  is  she  ?  A  fearful  thought 
forces  itself  upon  me  that  I  dare  not  dwell  upon ! 
This  strange  tale  of  the  sorceress  ;  her  wonderful 
and  minute  knowledge,  that  could  be  only  known 
to  the  actor ;  her  emotion  at  different  portions  of 
the  story ;  a  hundred  things,  light  as  air,  that  have 
insinuated  themselves  into  my  mind,  have  made 
me  think  she  might  be — fiends  !  it  will  out! — my 
mother  !  But,  then,  she  told  me  that  she  was  dead. 
Well,  be  it  so,  yet  I  can  fall  no  lower !  Wrere  my 
mother  living,  could  her  lot  be  better  than  this  fear 
ful  weird  woman's  ?  Ha,  ha,  ha !  I  have  no  pride 
now !"  he  added,  with  a  hollow  laugh  of  mingled 
despair  and  phrensy. 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !"  he  heard  repeated,  in  tones  so 
unearthly  that  his  heart  ceased  to  beat,  and  a  thrill 
like  ice  shot  through  his  veins. 

The  next  moment  he  was  at  the  top  of  a  flight 
of  steps  leading  from  one  side  of  the  hall  to  an  up 
per  room,  from  which  the  voice  seemed  to  proceed. 
A  stream  of  moonlight,  falling  through  a  window, 
showed  him  a  door  on  the  landing-place,  which  he 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  177 

threw  open.  He  found  himself  in  a  small  room, 
lighted  by  a  lattice  of  crimson-stained  glass  look 
ing  south  towards  the  sea :  into  it  the  moon,  in  its 
western  circle,  had  just  began  to  shine,  its  red-died 
beams  tinting  the  twilight  of  the  chamber  with  the 
hue  of  blood.  Seated  high  in  the  recess  of  the  win 
dow,  he  discovered  the  dark  figure  of  a  female  ;  her 
knees  drawn  up  to  her  chin,  and  her  hands  clasped 
together  around  them.  As  he  opened  the  door  she 
leaped  down  like  a  cat  and  sprang  towards  him. 
The  sanguinary  light  of  the  room  had  affected  his 
imagination,  not  untinged  with  the  superstitious 
fears  of  his  time  ;  but  this  sudden  apparition,  though 
he  had  prepared  himself  to  see  something  either 
human  or  supernatural,  caused  him  to  start  back 
with  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  Come  in,  Robert  of  Lester !  I  welcome  you 
to  the  room  which  first  welcomed  you  to  the  light," 
said  she,  in  a  voice  which  he  at  once  recognised  as 
that  of  the  sorceress. 

The  singular  information  her  words  conveyed 
suspended  for  the  moment  all  other  emotions  in  his 
mind  save  curiosity  at  finding  himself  so  unex 
pectedly  in  the  chamber  where  he  was  born.  He 
gazed  about  him  for  a  few  moments  under  the  in 
fluence  of  the  strange  thoughts  and  emotions  the 
circumstance  called  up,  and  then  turning  towards 
her,  said, 

"  Why  art  thou  here,  wicked  woman  ?  Didst 
thou  anticipate  rny  presence,  and  art  thou  come  to 
mock  the  misery  thou  hast  wrought  ?" 

"  I  fled  lest  thou  shouldst  do  a  deed  of  blood  thy 
hand  might  rue.  I  fled  not  for  myself,  but  for 
thee." 

"  You  need  not  fear  me  now.  There  exists  no 
longer  any  motive  for  secrecy,"  he  said,  gloomily. 

"  How  mean  you  ?"  she  eagerly  asked. 


178  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Ere  to-morrow's  sun,  'twill  be  in  every  boor's 
mouth,  from  Castle  Cor  to  Kinsale,  that  I  am  no 
longer  Lord  of  Lester  !" 

"  Speak — explain  !"  she  said,  hoarsely,  grasping 
his  arm  with  both  hands,  and  breathing  quick  and 
hard. 

"  I  have  told  the  Lady  Lester  that  he  whom 
she  thought  her  son  was  not  her  son,"  he  firmly 
replied. 

"  Ha  !  tJiou — thou  hast  told  thy  shame  ?  Speak, 
Robert  More — have  you  breathed  to  mortal  ear 
what  I  have  told  thee  of  thy  birth  ?"  she  demand 
ed,  with  fearful  energy  of  speech  and  manner. 

"I  have.  'Tis  known  to  every  servitor  from 
hall  to  stable !" 

"Didst  give  thy  name  ?" 

"  Robert,  son  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand." 

"  And  this  did  thine  own  lips,  of  thine  own  free 
will  ?" 

"  Never  man  spoke  freer  !" 

"  Then  hell  be  thy  portion  !  Accursed  be  ye, 
Robert  Hurtel !  Had  I  thought  thou  wouldst  have 
become  the  trumpeter  of  thy  shame — had  I  be 
lieved  thou  wouldst  have  breathed  to  mortal  ear 
thine  infamy,  I  would  have  seared  my  tongue  with 
hot  iron  ere  I  would  have  told  thee  the  secret  of 
thy  birth.  The  infernal  demon  has  prompted  thee 
to  do  this  !  Didst  thou  not  seek  to  slay  me,  that 
thou  shouldst  be  the  sole  keeper  of  the  foul  se 
cret  ?" 

"  I  did,  at  the  moment,  but  thought  better  of  it  !" 
"  Base  !    lowborn  !    miserable    that    thou    art ! 
Why  was  not  my  tongue  withered  ere  I  told  thee 
this  ?" 

"  Would  to  God  it  had  been,  woman.  What 
was  thy  motive  in  ever  letting  it  go  from  thy  own 
breast  ?" 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  179 

"  Love  of  mischief — hatred  of  mankind ;  and  to 
lower  thy  pride,  knowing  from  what  dunghill  thou 
wert  sprung.  But  I  did  not  think  thou  wouldst 
use  my  secret  thus ;  and  wreck  the  gifts  that — 
that  thy  mother's  stratagem  had  purchased,  and 
after  secured  to  thee  by  years  of  absence,  privation, 
and  misery." 

"  How  ?" 

"  Did  she  not,  for  thy  sake,  keep  the  secret  of 
thy  birth — coming  not  even  near  thee — when,  on 
the  ninth  day,  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  being  gone 
over  the  sea,  she  might  safely  have  claimed  thee  of 
Lady  Lester,  and  given  her  back  her  own !"  she 
said,  vehemently. 

"  Rather  for  her  own  sake — from  maternal  pride 
at  having  her  son  sit  among  nobles,"  was  the  stern 
reply.  "  And  if  these  were  her  motives,  as  I  doubt 
not  they  were,  at  what  price  did  she  purchase  this 
honour  for  her  child?  The  price  of  the  deepest 
guilt,  by  keeping  the  true  heir  from  his  birthright. 
I  did  not  view  it  in  this  light  before.  By  the  cross  ! 
I  am  a  well-born  !  a  guilty  mother,  too  !  'Tis  well 
you  told  me  she  was  no  more ;  I  should  care  little 
to  meet  her  in  my  present  mood." 

As  he  spoke,  the  woman  sunk  her  head  upon  her 
bosom,  and  deep  groans  escaped  her,  whether  of 
defeated  hopes,  of  sorrow,  of  shame,  or  of  remorse, 
he  knew  not.  Suddenly  he  laid  his  hand  upon  her 
arm,  and  looked  impressively  in  her  face,  and  said, 

"  Woman  !  who  is  my  mother  ?" 

"  Thou  wilt  never  know  !" 

«  Art  thou  ?" 

"Ha,  ha,  ha!  I?  Do  I  look  like  the  gentle 
maiden  that  won  the  love  of  Hurtel  of  the  Red- 
Hand?  Are  these  matted  locks  tresses  of  gold? 
Is  this  complexion  like  the  blended  ivory  and  rose  ? 
Is  my  voice  soft  and  full  of  love  ?  Are  my  eyes 


180  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

like  the  gazelle's,  and  gentle  as  the  dove's  in  their 
expression  ?  Is  this  hideous  form  such  as  would 
lure  youth  to  embrace  it.  ?  Wilt  thou  acknowledge 
thyself  the  son  of  '  the  witch' — '  the  sorceress' — 
'  the  beldame  Elpsy'  (such  were  thy  gentle  terms) 
— the  beleagued  with  demons — the  familiar  of  the 
evil  one — the — " 

"  No,  no  !  Avaunt !"  he  shouted,  with  a  furious 
gesture  ;  "  thank  God !  I  am  not  sunk  so  low  as 
that !" 

"  Ha,  ha  !  Thy  pride  is  fallen  far  indeed  when 
it  can  enter  thy  thoughts,  and  even  go  from  thy 
lips,  that  Elpsy  of  the  Tower  gave  thee  birth.  Oh, 
ho  !  I  am  well  avenged  in  this  for  thy  mad  folly  in 
throwing  away  thy  earldom.  Oh,  how  I  do  hate 
thee  for  that  act !  for  it  thou  shall  never  know 
peace  in  body  or  soul !" 

"  I  defy  thee,  woman,  and  all  thy  arts  !" 

"  Yet  the  tales  of  my  deeds  have  made  thy  hu 
man  soul  to  shrink  !  Beware  how  thou  speakest 
lightly  of  what  thou  knowest  naught,  and  which  is 
hid  from  mortal  ken  !"  she  added,  with  mysterious 
and  solemn  earnestness.  "  Whither  turn  thy  foot 
steps  now,  Lord  of  Lester  ?"  she  asked,  with  chill 
ing  irony.  "  Doubtless  thou  hast  come  to  take 
possession  of  thy  fair  lands  here.  They  are  not  so 
broad,  indeed,  as  the  domains  of  Castle  More,  and 
thy  castle  needs  some  furnishing  and  repair.  Doubt 
less  thou  wouldst  like  to  fit  it  up  ere  thou  bringest 
home  to  be  its  mistress  the  fair  Kate  of  Bellamont !" 

"  Breathe  that  name  again,  woman,  and  I  will 
take  thy  life !" 

"  Thou  art  now  thy  very  father's  image  !"  she 
said,  with  derision.  "  Even  in  this  moonlight  I  can 
see  that  devilish  shape  of  the  eyes  that  his  were 
wont  to  assume  when  he  meditated  murder !  Ho ! 
I  dare  to  say  thou  wilt  be  like  him  in  more  than 


THE   WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  181 

the  glance  of  the  eye.  Dost  mean  to  follow  in  his 
footsteps,  and  head  a  band  of  lawless  insurgents  ;  or 
wilt  thou,  as  'tis  said  his  brother  did — " 

"  His  brother  ?" 

"  Thou  didst  not  know  before  thou  hadst  once 
an  uncle  ?  So  :  thou  shall  no  longer  be  kept  in  ig 
norance.  He  was  a  bold,  bad  man,  and  therein 
true  to  his  race ;  was  called  Black  Hurtel,  and 
roved  the  Danish  seas  a  daring  bucanier.  'Twas 
said  he  could  float  his  ship  in  the  blood  of  the  men 
he  had  slain  !  He  was  killed  on  j,he  French  coast 
in  a  fierce  fight ;  but  his  vessel  was  captured,  and 
his  dead  body,  with  his  living  crew  (for  the  captors 
would  not  leave  one  alive  to  blacken  the  face  of  the 
earth),  were  sunk  in  the  deep  sea.  Perhaps,  like 
him,  thou  wilt  take  to  the  wave,  and  carve  thy  for 
tune  in  blood  !  Blood  is  sweet,  and  there  is  music 
to  the  ear  in  its  gurgle  where  it  is  shed  with  a  free 
hand  !  Look  you,"  she  said,  policing  through  the 
window  ;  "  the  sea  is  spread  wide  before  you,  and 
seems  to  invite  thee  with  its  glancing  waves.  It 
knows  not  of  thy  disgrace,  nor  has  it  voices  to  whis 
per  thy  infamy ;  while  every  bird,  tree,  and  stone 
wil)  nod  and  gossip  to  one  another  as  thou  pass- 
est  by — 

" '  There  goes  he  who  was  the  Lord  of  Lester !' " 

"  Woman,  you  madden  me  !" 

"Perhaps,"  she  continued,  in  the  same  cutting 
tone,  while  he  paced  the  little  chamber  with  a 
phrensied  step,  "  thou  wilt  rather  come  and  share 
my  tower  i'the  ruin,  if  the  new  Lord  of  Lester 
will  give  thee  leave ;  doubtless  he  will  honour 
thee  by  asking  thee  to  hold  his  stirrup  on  occasion. 
But,  if  thou  wilt  rather  habit  in  this  tower,  I  will  be 
thy  seneschal.  I  love  its  old  gray  walls  !  many  is 
the  moonlight  night  I've  sat  in  the  window  and 
looked  on  the  sea,  as  it  danced,  and  glimmered,  and 

VOL.  I.— Q 


182  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

•:£t*          '•'•  ^ 

seemed  to  beck  and  nod,  and  laugh  when  I  laugh 
ed.  Ha,  ha !  I  have  had  brave  times  here,  gossip- 
ping  with  the  sea  !" 

As  she  said  this  she  looked  from  the  window, 
and  suddenly  her  eye  seemed  to  be  arrested  by 
some  unexpected  sight.  She  gazed  for  a  moment 
eagerly,  and  then  said,  in  the  enthusiastic  tone  and 
manner  of  a  sibyl,  skilfully  assumed  with  the  tact 
of  one  accustomed  to  turn  to  her  own  purpose 
every  passing  circumstance, 

"  Look  thou,  Robert  Huvtel !  I  have  had  pity  on 
thy  state,  and  have,  by  the  art  thou  hast  dared  to 
scorn,  brought  from  many  a  far  league  away,  to  thy 
tower's  foot,  a  ship  to  waft  thee  and  thy  fortunes  ! 
See  how  proudly  it  stands  in  towards  the  land, 
looking  like  a  great  white  spirit,  with  the  moon 
glancing  on  its  canvass  wings.  Oh,  'tis  a  brave 
bark  !" 

"  The  young  man  (her  words  taunting,  malicious, 
and  hateful  as  they  were,  not  having  been  without 
some  effect  in  influencing  him  in  determining  on  his 
future  course)  sprang  alertly  to  the  window  and 
gazed  with  interest  on  the  approaching  vessel.  It 
was  about  a  third  of  a  mile  from  the  land,  standing 
directly  towards  the  tower  before  a  light  breeze.  It 
was  apparently  about  seventy  tons  burden,  short 
and  heavily  built,  rising  very  high  out  of  the  water, 
with  a  very  lofty  stern.  It  had  three  masts,  each 
consisting  of  one  entire  stick,  tapering  to  a  slender 
point,  and  terminated  by  a  little  triangular  flag.  On 
each  mast  was  hoisted  a  huge,  square  lugger's  sail, 
which,  with  a  short  jib,  stretched  from  the  head  of 
the  foremast  to  a  stunted  bowsprit,  and  a  sort  of  tri- 
sail  or  spanker  aft  worked  without  a  boom,  was  all 
the  canvass  she  carried  or  that  belonged  to  her  pecu 
liar  class  of  craft. 

He  watched  it  with  eager  attention  as  it  came 


THE    WIZARD    OP    THE    SEA.  183 

bounding  landward,  flinging  the  glittering  spray 
from  its  round  bows,  its  wet  sides  shining  in  the 
moonlight  as  if  sheathed  with  plates  of  silver.  A 
chaos  of  hopes,  wishes,  and  conflicting  resolutions 
agitated  his  mind  as  it  approached  :  after  a  short 
struggle,  he  resolved  to  throw  himself  on  board 
if  her  master  would  receive  him,  and  depart  with 
her  wherever  the  winds  should  waft  her.  Hav 
ing  come  to  this  determination,  he  watched  her  mo 
tions  with  additional  interest ;  and  when,  after  com 
ing  in  so  close  to  the  shore  that  he  could  discern 
that  her  decks  were  crowded  with  men,  she  wore 
round  and  stood  northward,  his  heart  sank  within 
him  ;  and,  dashing  his  hand  through  the  crimson 
glass,  he  was  about  to  hail,  when  Elpsy  checked 
him : 

"  Hold  !  see  you  not  they  are  only  coming  up 
to  wind  to  lie  to  !  Look  !  they  are  already  swing 
ing  round  their  clumsy  sails." 

The  vessel  came  up  slowly  and  heavily  to  the 
wind,  and,  by  means  of  her  mainsail,  lay  as  still  as 
if  at  anchor.  In  a  few  moments  afterward,  as  they 
eagerly  watched,  they  saw  a  boat  let  down,  and 
several  men  descend  over  the  side  into  it.  He  ut 
tered  a  joyful  exclamation  when  he  saw  this  move 
ment  ;  and,  without  reflecting  upon  the  character  of 
the  vessel,  or  the  object  it  could  have  in  view  in 
landing  on  so  retired  a  coast  at  such  a  time,  he  only 
thought  of  it  as  a  means  of  bearing  him  from  the 
hateful  shore,  and  perhaps  opening  for  him  some 
path  to  action  and  mental  excitement. 

"  See  that  flash  ol  light  on  her  deck  !  There  is 
another  gleam  !"  ^claimed  Elpsy. 

"  'Tis  the  glancing  of  the  moonbeams  on  steel !" 
he  replied,  in  a  gratified  tone. 

"  There  is  a  sound  a  man  should  know !"  she 
said  again. 


184  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  'Tis  the  ringing  of  arms !"  he  replied,  in  the 
same  animated  manner. 

"  What  think  you  they  are,  young  man  ?"  asked 
she,  with  a  peculiar  smile,  laying  her  hand  impres 
sively  on  his  arm. 

"  I  know  not,  nor  care,  so  I  may  cast  my  fortune 
with  them  !" 

"  Thou  art,  of  a  truth,  thy  father's  son  !" 

"  And,  by  the  cross,  he  shall  not  be  ashamed 
to  own  me !"  he  replied,  in  a  desperate  and  de 
termined  tone. 

"  I  will  tell  thee  what  they  are — for  I  have  passed 
my  life  by  the  seaside,  and  know  the  nature,  and 
have  learned  to  know  the  occupation  and  nation  of 
each  ship  by  its  fashion,  as  I  would  tell  a  trades 
man's  by  his  garb." 

"  What,  then,  is  the  nation  of  this  barque  ?" 

"  He  is  a  Dane." 

"  Its  nature  ?" 

"  To  sail  in  shallow  waters,  and  run  before  the 
wind." 

"  Its  business  on  the  sea  ?" 

"  To  rob,  pillage,  and  slay  !" 

"  Ha,  a  bucanier  ?" 

"  A  Dane." 

"'Tis  but  another  name  for  pirate  in  these  wa 
ters.  By  the  cross  !  when  I  saw  the  glitter  of 
steel  in  the  hands  of  its  crew,  I  half  guessed  it." 

"  Wilt  thou  now  link  thy  fate  with  theirs  ?" 

"  Am  I  not  fit  to  be  their  comrade  ?  Are  they  out 
casts  ;  what  am  I  ?  Are  they  branded  with  shame  ; 
who  am  I  ?  Has  society  cast  thejp  from  its  bosom; 
was  I  not  born  in  bastardy  ?  Am  I  not  fallen  lower 
than  the  lowest  he  among  them  who  hath  been  born 
in  wedlock  ?  Why  should  I  hesitate  to  mate  with 
my  fellows  ?  What  has  the  honourable  world  to  in 
vite  me  to  ?  What  if  I  could  bury  in  oblivion  from 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  185 

the  reach  of  my  own  thoughts  the  black  stain  upon 
my  birth  and  hitherto  noble  name,  and,  under  a 
new  one,  with  a  strong  heart  and  virtuous  resolves, 
throw  myself  into  the  arena  of  honourable  contest, 
and  should  succeed  in  winning  a  name  that  men 
would  do  homage  to — should  I  not  wear  it,  feeling 
that  a  sword  was  suspended  by  a  hair  above  my 
head  ?" 

"  How  mean  you  ?"  she  asked,  struck  with  the 
impassioned  and  despairing  tones  of  his  voice. 

"  I  mean  that,  if,  after  carrying  the  secret  like  a 
living  serpent  coiled  in  my  heart  for  years,  I  should, 
without  suspicion,  chance  to  win  a  fair  name,  the 
time  at  length  would  come  when  some  one,  with  a 
too  faithful  memory,  would  recognise  the  bastard 
Hurtel — the  quondam  Lester — in  the  successful  ad 
venturer  ;  and  then —  No,  no !"  he  said,  bitterly, 
"  no,  no  !  It  may  not  be  !  The  presence  of  this 
ship  points  me  to  the  course  I  should  pursue.  I 
obey  the  fate  that  has  directed  it  hither  !" 

"  Wilt  thou  become  a  pirate  ?"  she  said,  with  a 
natural  and  feeling  manner,  as  if  prompted  by  some 
suddenly-awakened  interest  in  him.  "  Yesterday 
Lord  of  Lester — to-day  a  pirate  !" 

"  Yes." 

"  Curse  the  tongue  that  told  thee  of  thy  birth  ! 
But,"  she  continued,  muttering  with  her  usual  quick 
tones  and  nervousness  of  manner,  "  it  was  so  pleas 
ant  to  tell  him,  for  his  father's  sake,  he  looked  so  like 
him !  And  then  it  was  a  pleasure  to  humble  his 
pride,  which  he  made  even  me  the  victim  of :  and 
so,  as  my  master  would  have  it,  I  could  not,  for  the 
life  o'  me,  longer  help  telling  him  the  love-story  I 
had  kept  so  many  years  in  my  heart  for  him.  Ho  ! 
ho  !  ha  !  ha  !  and  a  pleasant  tale  it  was,  too  !"  she 
added  in  that  phrensied  strain  which  seemed  to  be 
most  natural  to  her. 

Q2 


186  CAPTAIN   KYD  ;    OR, 

While  she  was  speaking  the  boat,  which  appear 
ed  to  be  full  of  men,  put  off  from  the  vessel,  and 
they  could  distinctly  hear  the  command  to  "let 
fall,"  followed  by  the  splash  of  the  falling  sweeps. 

"  Give  way  !"  in  a  stern,  deep  tone,  came  di 
rectly  afterward  distinctly  to  their  ears  ;  and,  shoot 
ing  out  from  the  vessel's  side,  the  boat  moved  in  to 
wards  the  cliff. 

As  it  neared  the  shore,  one  of  the  men  stood  up 
in  the  stern,  and  was  heard  to  command  them  to 
cease  pulling ;  and,  for  a  few  seconds  afterward, 
he  seemed  to  be  reconnoitring  the  beach.  Appa 
rently  satisfied  with  his  scrutiny,  he  ordered  them  to 
give  way  again,  steered  directly  to  the  foot  of  the 
tower,  and  skilfully  run  the  boat  alongside  of  the 
rock  almost  beneath  the  window. 

"  Now  lay  off  an  oar's  length  from  the  shore,  and 
wait  for  me,"  said  the  one  who  had  steered  the 
boat,  and  who  appeared  to  be  the  leader.  "  Be  on 
the  alert  against  surprise,  though  there's  little  fear 
of  any  one  being  within  a  league  of  the  old  tower. 
Carl,  you  and  Evan  take  the  coil  of  rigging  and 
come  with  me." 

As  he  spoke  he  leaped  on  the  projection  of  the 
rock;  then  measuring  the  cliff  with  his  eye,  he 
placed  his  cutlass  between  his  teeth  and  began  to  as 
cend.  By  the  aid  of  numerous  fissures  and  bold 
spurs  jutting  out  from  the  sides  he  reached  the  top, 
closely  followed  by  his  men.  Here  he  paused  a  mo 
ment,  resting  on  his  cutlass,  and  looked  about  him. 
He  stood  directly  beneath  the  window  from  which 
Elpsy  and  the  young  man  were  looking,  and  was 
plainly  visible  to  them.  He  was  a  short,  stout- 
built  man,  with  a  ruddy  complexion,  browned  by  the 
winds  and  suns  of  every  clime.  His  hair  was  gray, 
and  hung  in  straight  locks  about  his  ears  ;  and,  judg 
ing  by  the  deeply-indented  lines  of  his  weather-worn 
visage,  his  age  was  about,  fiftv  ;  yet  his  compactly- 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  187 

built  figure,  his  light  motions,  and  athletic  appear 
ance,  gave  indications  of  many  years  less.  His 
countenance,  turned  upward  to  their  full  gaze  in 
his  survey  of  the  tower,  wore  an  expression  of  care 
less  jovially,  united  with  desperate  hardihood.  The 
most  striking  characteristic  of  his  face  was  a  thick 
red  mustache  covering  his  upper  lip.  He  had  on 
his  head  an  immense  fur  cap,  and  wore  a  short,  full 
frock  of  a  dark  shade,  secured  at  the  waist  by  a 
broad  belt,  stuck  with  large,  heavy  pistols  of  the 
kind  known,  at  the  period,  as  the  hand-harquebuss. 
He  wore,  also,  voluminous  breeches  of  buff  leather, 
buckled  at  the  knee,  red  cloth  gaiters,  and  high- 
quartered  shoes  with  pointed  toes,  and  garnished 
with  sparkling  buckles  of  immense  size.  By  his 
side  hung  the  empty  sheath  of  the  sabre  on  which 
he  leaned.  His  men,  save  the  fur  cap,  for  which 
they  substituted  red  woollen  ones  of  a  conical  form, 
and  the  frock,  instead  of  which  they  wore  long 
jackets,  were — breeches,  buckler,  shoes,  and  gaiters 
— his  counterpart  in  apparel. 

"  'Tis  the  very  spot  I  once  knew  it !  The  un 
changed  sea — the  rock — this  gray  tower !  It  seems 
as  if  but  a  day,  and  not  eighteen  years,  had  passed 
since  I  banqueted  here  with  Hurtel  of  the  Red- 
Hand,"  he  said  to  himself,  gazing  round  with  re 
vived  recollections  at  each  object.  "  Well,  strange 
things  have  happened  since !  He  is  dead,  or  an 
exile  with  a  price  on  his  head ;  all  our  brave  band 
scattered ;  and  I,  only,  am  left  to  stand  once  more 
on  this  familiar  spot.  The  old  rookery  looks  des 
olate  enough,  and  seems  to  sympathize  with  its 
master's  fortunes !  Open  your  lantern,  Carl,  and 
let  us  enter !  This  moon  wtfll  scarce  afford  light 
where  I  wish  to  penetrate  !  Heaven  grant  no  evil 
spirit  haunts  here  to  keep  guard  over  the  treasure 
I  have  come  to  carry  off !  But,  if  it  still  remains, 


188  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

I  will  e'en  cross  blades  with  the  devil  for  it,  and  win 
it,  will  he,  nil  he." 

He  passed  as  he  spoke  round  the  tower,  and  the 
next  moment  the  listeners  heard  the  heavy  footsteps 
of  the  three  men  echoing  through  the  hall.  The 
young  man  was  about  to  spring  from  the  room  to 
meet  them,  when  Elpsy  held  him  back. 

"  Would  you  run  upon  death !  They  would 
sheathe  their  cutlasses  in  your  body  ere  you  could 
open  your  lips.  Hold,  and  hush  !  There  is  time 
enough.  We  will  see  what  their  purpose  is.  I 
have  half  a  guess,  from  his  words,  at  their  busi 
ness  here." 

"What!" 

"  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand,  the  story  goes,  had 
secreted  in  some  part  of  the  tower  large  sums  of 
silver  and  gold,  with  which  to  aid  the  conspiracy 
he  headed.  He  had  neither  time  nor  means  to 
take  it  away  with  him,  and  doubtless  it  still  re 
mains  here,  and  this  bucanier  is  acquainted  with  the 
secret." 

"  Ha  !"  he  exclaimed,  with  surprise,  "  who  told 
thee  this  ?" 

"Rumour,  said  I  not!"  she  replied,  after  a  mo 
ment's  hesitation. 

"  And  how  should  these  know  where  to  look  for 
what  has  been  concealed  for  years  ?" 

"  Hark !"  she  cried,  as  a  heavy  noise  reached 
them  from  a  distant  part  of  the  building,  "they 
have  opened  the  trap  of  the  tower,  and  will  de 
scend  into  the  vaults.  He  is  one  that  knows  well 
the  place." 

"  Doubtless,  from  his  language,  some  one  of 
my  hospitable  parerit'-s  fellow-chiefs,  who  used  to 
revel  here  in  the  days  you  tell  of.  I  will  see  what 
they  do,  and  take  opportunity  of  forming  good  fel 
lowship  with  my  father's  friend.  Nay — but  let  me 
go,  woman !" 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  189 

He  broke  from  her  as  she  attempted  to  detain 
him,  and,  cautiously  opening  the  door,  descended 
with  a  cautious  and  rapid  step  into  the  hall.  At 
its  opposite  extremity  he  saw,  by  the  glimmer  of  a 
lamp  held  by  one  of  them,  the  two  men  standing 
over  an  opening  in  the  floor,  and  their  leader  just 
in  the  act  of  letting  himself  down  into  the  subter 
ranean  chamber  beneath. 

"  Hold  the  ladder  steady,  Evan !"  he  said. 
"  Thrust  your  lantern  down  at  arm's  length,  Carl, 
so  that  I  can  see  where  to  place  my  foot.  Ha ! 
there,  I  find  bottom,"  he  added,  his  voice  sounding 
hollow  from  the  depth ;  "  'tis  dark  and  damp  as  a 
Calcutta  blackhole !  Faith,  it's  more  like  a  tomb 
than  an  honest  underground  apartment.  I  hope  I 
shall  not  see  Hurtel's  ghost  guarding  his  box. 
Tumble  down  here,  boys,  and  be  ready  to  hand 
above  decks  as  soon  as  I  find  out  where  it's  stow 
ed  away  !" 

The  others,  leaving  their  cutlasses  behind,  fol 
lowed  him  into  the  vault.  Their  heads  had  no 
sooner  disappeared  than  the  young  man  crossed 
the  hall  with  a  free  step  to  the  trapdoor,  and  look 
ed  fearlessly  after  them.  He  had  from  the  first, 
when  the  vessel  came  in  sight,  deliberately  resolv 
ed  to  attach  himself  to  the  party  ;  and  now  the 
frank,  blunt  manner  of  the  old  sea-rover  struck  his 
fancy,  and  confirmed  him  in  his  resolution.  But 
he  was  at  a  loss  how  to  make  his  intentions 
known — how  first  to  address  men  ready  to  shed 
blood  on  the  instant  without  question,  and  among 
whom,  at  such  a  time,  the  very  discovery  of  his 
presence  might  be  fatal  ere  he  could  make  known 
to  the  chief  his  intentions.  While  watching  them 
as  they  groped  about  through  the  vast  vault,  an 
idea,  characteristic  of  his  now  reckless  disposition, 
suggested  by  the  ghostly  apprehensions  of  the 


190  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

leader,  entered  his  mind.  He  paused  for  an  in 
stant,  and  then,  favoured  by  the  darkness,  dropped 
noiselessly  into  the  chamber.  With  a  step  that 
gave  back  no  sound,  he  approached  them  as  they 
moved  in  an  opposite  direction  from  him,  throwing 
the  light  all  forward,  and  waited  the  opportunity 
he  had  chosen  for  discovering  himself. 

"  'Tis  twelve  paces  to  the  south,  eight  paces  to 
the  east,  and  six  paces  to  the  west  again — which 
will  bring  me  to  the  wall,  and  on  the  very  stone 
Red  Hurtel  and  I  placed  over  the  gold,"  said  the 
captain ;  "  here  are  twelve  paces,  well  told !"  he 
added,  placing  his  foot  immediately  afterward  em 
phatically  on  the  stone  floor. 

These  words  at  once  gave  the  youth  a  key  to  the 
course  he  should  adopt.  His  quick  eye,  as  the 
leader  turned  to  pace  east,  comprehended  the  re 
maining  angle  at  a  glance,  and,  gliding  away  by  the 
wall,  he  moved  cautiously  and  noiselessly  along  till 
he  felt  his  foot  press  upon  a  loose  slab.  He  knew 
he  must  be  on  or  near<lhe  spot;  and  drawing  himself 
to  his  full  height,  and  unconsciously  assuming  a 
stern  and  resolute  look,  called  up  by  the  novelty 
and  danger  of  his  situation,  he  waited  the  angular 
advance  of  the  captain,  who,  with  his  men,  was  too 
intent  on  accurately  marking  his  steps  to  look  up 
even  for  a  moment. 

"  Now  west !"  said  the  leader ;  and,  turning  as  he 
spoke,  he  had  counted  on  to  four,  five,  and  was 
about  to  take  the  last  step  to  the  wall,  when,  pro 
nounced  in  a  deep  tone,  that  rung  hollow  through 
the  vault,  he  heard  the  word, 

"  Forbear !" 

He  lifted  his  eyes  and  fell  back  upon  his  men  as 
the  lantern  shone  full  upon  the  object,  exclaiming, 

"  The  ghost  of  Hurtel,  by  all  that's  good  !  Evan, 
come  back  here,  you  villain  !  Carl,  give  me  that 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  191 

lantern,  coward  !"  he  shouted  to  his  men,  who 
turned  and  fled  with  affright. 

He  caught  the  light  from  the  hand  of  the  terri 
fied  Dane,  and  turned  upon  this  apparition,  which> 
notwithstanding  his  coolness,  had  not  a  little  dis 
concerted  him.  He  held  the  lamp,  though  standing 
off  at  a  chosen  distance,  to  the, face  of  the  supposed 
ghost,  and  said,  with  an  odd  mixture  of  natural 
boldness  and  superstitious  fear, 

"  'Fore  Heaven,  comrade,  you  have  grown  full 
young  in  the  other  world  !  But  there  is  no  mista 
king  the  cut  of  your  eye.  Faith,  but  you  can  smile, 
I  see,"  he  added,  more  freely.  "  There's  no  more 
mistaking  your  smile  than  your  black,  ugly  frown  ! 
So,  suppose  we  shake  hands,  and,  after  we  get  the 
chest  aboard — for  they  say  you  don't  want  this  sort 
of  ballast  in  the  seas  down  below — why,  we'll 
empty  a  can  together,  and  spin  a  yarn  about  old 
times  before  the  cock  crows  !" 

As  the  intrepid  old  sea-rover  spoke,  he  extended 
his  rough  hand  to  grasp  that  of  the  other.  The 
young  man  hesitated  to  take  it,  for  he  was  scarce 
sure  of  his  reception  when  it  should  be  discovered 
that  he  was  flesh  and  blood. 

"  Never  mind  if  your  ringers  be  a  little  cold  or 
so,  'tis  the  nature  o'  ghosts.  I  can  give  you  a  grasp 
that'll  put  warmth  into  'em,  and  last  you  till  you 
get  back  where  you  hail  from.  Come,  old  friend, 
give  us  your  digits,  just  to  say  you  ain't  offended 
at  the  liberty  I  am  about  to  take  with  your  chest  o' 
sparklers  ;  and  afterward  I  will  just  thank  you  to 
step  one  side  a  bit !" 

The  young  man  smiled  at  the  intrepidity  of  the 
seaman,  and  took  the  proffered  hand. 

"  Warm  !  by  the  bones  of  St.  Nick  !  The  old 
fellow  below  has  been  keeping  you  over  a  hot  fire, 
messmate.  Well,  you  must  confess,  you  lived  a 


192  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

wonderfully  wicked  life  ;  and  so,  as  the  priests  say, 
the  devil  will  fry  it  out  of  you.  Sorry  for  you,  on 
my  word  !  Will  lay  by  fifty  of  these  guilders  in 
prayers  for  your  soul !  So  take  heart.  Now  just 
step  aside  off  that  slab,  which  you  stick  to  as  if 
'twas  a  tombstone,  and  we'll  bear  a  hand  and  bouse 
this  old  box  out  in  the  snapping  of  a  bolt-rope." 

"  I  am  no  spirit,  but  a  habitant  of  this  world,  like 
thyself!"  he  said,  with  firmness,  and  a  straightfor 
ward  frankness  that  he  wisely  calculated  would 
have  its  effect ;  "I  am  a  young  adventurer,  without 
name  or  family,  weal  or  wealth.  I  would  take  ser 
vice  with  thee,  and  follow  thy  fortunes  on  the  sea  !" 

The  bucanier  listened  with  surprise ;  and  as  he 
became  convinced,  from  his  words  and  manner, 
that  he  was  no  shade  from  the  land  of  spirits, 
which  shadowy  beings  he  seemed  to  fear  no  more 
than  mortal  substance,  his  countenance  instantly 
changed,  and  he  surveyed  him  with  a  puzzled  look 
of  surprise  and  doubt. 

"  So  !  this  alters  the  case  !  Who  art  thou,  then  ? 
what  art  thou  doing  here — and  on  this  particular 
stone  ?  'Tis  mysterious,  i'faith !  Guarding  this 
treasure,  which  no  man  save  Hurtel  and  I  saw  laid 
here  ;  so  like  him,  and  not  be  he  !  Yet  thou  canst 
not  be  Red  Hurtel  in  the  flesh,  for  his  hair  would 
be  as  gray  as  mine  by  this  time.  Thou  sayest 
thou  art  not  his  spirit.  Who,  and  what,  then,  in 
the  name  of  St.  Barnabas,  may  you  be  ?" 

"  His  son." 

"  Ha  !  ho  !  There  it  is,  as  plain  as  my  hand  !" 
he  said,  slapping  the  flat  of  his  cutlass  into  his  left 
palm.  "  Priest  never  had  aught  to  do  with  thy 
begetting  or  thy  christening,  I'll  be  sworn  !  I  now 
remember  he  had  a  leman-lady  in  the  tower  when 
I  knew  him.  A  proper  youth,"  he  added,  looking 
at  him  with  interest,  "  and  as  like  your  father  as 


THE   WIZARD    OP    THE    SEA.  193 

one  marlin-spike  is  like  another  !  So  you  inherit 
the  old  tower,  I  dare  say,  and  follow  in  his  steps. 
St.  Claus  and  the  apostles  !  I  would  not  be  sur 
prised  if  you  laid  claim  to  the  gold  here  !" 

"  I  care  neither  for  tower  nor  gold,  good  captain. 
To  follow  your  fortunes  I  alone  ask." 

"  Do  you  know  what  fortunes  I  follow  ?"  inquired 
the  other,  significantly. 

"  I  care  not,  so  there  is  work  for  the  free  hand 
and  ready  spirit." 

"A  chip  of  the  old  block !  There's  my  hand  to 
it.  You  shall  have  your  will,  my  brave  one ! 
Your  father  and  I  were  comrades  in  that  cursed 
affair  that  made  the  country  too  hot  to  hold  us.  I 
have  been  a  rover  since,  and,  trusting  to  my  gray 
head,  have  ventured  back  to  carry  off  what  gold  I 
heard  he  had  not  time  to  remove.  Thou  shall  go 
with  me  for  thy  father's  sake,  boy." 

He  grasped  the  old  man's  offered  hand,  and,  for 
the  moment,  felt  that  he  was  less  alone  in  the  world. 
What  a  change  had  one  brief  day  made  in  the  feel 
ings  and  destinies  of  this  haughty  young  man  ! 

"  Bear  a  hand,  you  pale  runaways  !"  cried  the 
captain  to  the  men,  who,  seeing  that  their  spirit 
had  proved  of  flesh  and  blood,  returned,  scowling 
darkly  on  the  cause  of  their  discomfiture.  "  Take 
hold  of  the  edge  of  that  stone,  and  lift  it  from  its 
bed.  Place  your  hands  on  the  right  spot,  and  it 
will  come  up  like  a  cork." 

The  men  made  several  ineffectual  efforts  to  lift 
it,  though  even  assisted  in  their  last  attempt  by 
their  captain. 

"  How  is  this  ?"  he  said ;  "  it  should  move  with 
a  finger's  touch.  Ha,  I  have  it !  I  had  forgot. 
You  might  heave  till  you  were  gray,  boys,  and  it 
wouldn't  stir  a  hair.  Look  at  some  of  my  magic." 

VOL.  L— R 


194  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

He  stooped  as  he  spoke,  and  pressing  the  stone 
horizontally  towards  the  wall,  it  moved  from  its 
bed,  and  slid  away  slowly,  as  if  on  wheels,  be 
neath  it  exposing  a  cavity  two  feet  square  and 
about  three  feet  deep,  containing  an  oaken  box, 
bound  with  strong  bands  of  rusted  steel. 

"  Here  it  lies,  like  a  biscuit  in  a  bucket !  Let  us 
see  if  the  gold  has  got  rusty." 

He  searched  a  few  moments,  and  at  length  bore 
hard  upon  a  corner  of  the  box,  but  without  produ 
cing  any  effect. 

"  The  spring  is  as  tight  as  if  Old  Nick  had  his 
foot  on  it.  Let  us  try  what  this  good  steel,  that 
has  served  me  so  often  at  a  push,  will  do  now." 

He  pressed  the  point  of  his  cutlass  with  steady 
force  against  one  corner,  when  suddenly  the  lid  flew 
up,  and  a  glittering  pile  of  silver  and  gold,  and  a 
remarkably  shaped  dagger,  a  foot  in  length,  wider 
at  the  point  than  the  handle,  and  exceedingly  rich 
with  precious  stones,  met  their  eyes. 

There  was  a  general  exclamation  of  surprise  at 
this  display  of  treasure.  The  young  man  took  up 
the  weapon  and  examined  it  with  curiosity. 

"  That  belonged  to  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand,  and 
he  prized  it,  too  !"  said  the  old  pirate.  "  It  shall  be 
thine,  young  man  !  Holding  it  with  that  grasp  as 
you  do,  and  your  kindling  eye,  I  would  swear  my 
old  comrade  stood  before  me.  If  nature  put  the 
father's  looks  on  all  children  as  she  has  on  thee,  it 
would  be  a  blind  father  that  wouldn't  know  his  own 
child.  But  it's  only  bas — hoit !  I  mean  to  say 
that  children  honestly  come  by  seldom  show  the 
breed  they  hail  from  as  some  other  sort  o'  craft 
do — I'faith,  I  haven't  bettered  it  much !  But,  no 
harm  meant,  my  brave  fellow  !  Keep  that  yataghan 
for  your  father's  sake.  He  knew  its  use,  and,  if 
you  are  long  under  me — " 


THE    WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  195 

"  Under  you  ?"  repeated  the  youth,  his  natural 
spirit  breaking  out. 

"  Ha  !  I  like  that !  Better  men  than  I  will  soon 
be  under  you,  I  see — 'tis  in  you  born  and  bred  ! 
So  !  let  us  heave  out  this  precious  metal.  Six  thou 
sand  told  pounds,  if  my  memory  serves  me.  Heave 
heartily,  boys.  There  she  moves  !  Now  she  rises 
on  her  toes  !  Steady  strain.  Hearty,  hearty. 
There  you  are  !" 

"  Hafey  golt  'tish  dat  dere,  Evan,"  said  one, 
straightening  his  bent  loins. 

"  Ap  carnach !  ant  yer  may  will  say  tat,  poy  !" 
responded  Evan,  breathing  himself  and  passing 
the  back  of  his  hand  across  his  brow,  from  which 
started  big  drops  of  perspiration. 

They  now  laid  hold  of  it  and  dragged  it  beneath 
the  trapdoor :  with  the  united  efforts  of  the  men, 
the  captain,  and  even  Lester — or  Hurtel,  as  for 
the  present  he  should  be  called — they  got  it  to  the 
floor  above,  reascended,  and  closed  the  scuttle. 

"  You  will  want  fresh  hands,  captain,"  said  the 
youthful  novitiate,  at  once  readily  entering  into  the 
spirit  of  his  new  vocation,  and  thirsting  for  excite 
ment  as  a  foil  to  reflection  ;  "  shall  I  call  two  of  your 
men  from  the  boat  ?" 

"  Ay,  ay  !  do  so  !"  said  the  captain  ;  adding,  as 
he  darted  away,  "  True  as  steel,  by  St.  Glaus  !  I 
would  rather  lose  the  gold  than  lose  him.  He  is 
worth  his  weight  of  it !" 

While  he  was  speaking  his  protege  reached  the 
balcony,  and,  bending  over,  ordered,  in  an  authori 
tative  tone,  two  of  the  men  to  ascend  to  relieve 
their  mates.  There  was  a  general  exclamation  of 
surprise  from  the  party  below  at  the  sound  of  the 
strange  voice. 

"  Treason  !" 

"  We  are  betrayed  !" 


196  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  To  the  rescue  of  our  captain  !"  were  the  va 
rious  exclamations,  in  as  many  different  languages, 
followed  by  glancing  of  steel  and  clicking  of  pis 
tols,  several  of  which  were  levelled  at  the  win 
dow. 

"  Ho,  fellows  !  will  you  not  obey?"  said  he,  stern 
ly  ;  "  up,  up-  with  you  !  By  the  cross  !  if  I  were 
your  captain,  knaves,  I  would  teach  you  to  linger 
after  an  order  was  given." 

"  Who  in  the  devil  have  we  there  ?"  said  one,  in 
a  gruff  voice.  "  Shall  I  pink  him,  mates  ?" 

"  Who  talks  of  pinking  ?  What,  ho,  ye  villains  !" 
shouted  the  captain,  who  now  appeared  at  the  win 
dow.  "  This  youth  is  my  lieutenant,  and  see  that 
you  obey  him,  or  I  will  make  a  pair  of  earrings  of 
a  brace  of  you  for  the  main-yard-arms." 

"  That's  another  thing,"  said  several  voices.  "  Or 
ders  is  orders,  if  they  come  from  the  devil,  so  as 
he  is  got  the  commission  in  his  pocket !" 

"  Two  of  the  strongest   of  you  lubberly  oxen, 
clamber  up  here.     Spring !   be  nimble  !  nimble  ! 
Back  the  boat  directly  under,  and  keep  her  steady." 
A  moment  afterward  two  of  the  men  reached 
the  top  of  the  rock  and  sprung  into  the  balcony.    It 
took  but  a  short  time  to  get  the  chest  upon  the 
balustrade,  lash  it  with  the  rope  they  had  brought, 
rig  a  fall  with  a  brace  of  oars,  and  swing  it  off. 
"  Stand  ready  below  there  !"  cried  the  captain. 
"  All  ready." 

"  Handle  it  as  if  it  was  a  baby.  Gently,  gently, 
or  you  will  knock  the  boat's  bottom  out !  Swing 
it  more  aft !  There,  now,  let  her  drop  amidships  ! 
Easy — not  too  fast !  There  she  lies  between  the 
thwarts  like  a  pig  in  a  pillory !" 

The  box  was  safely  lowered  into  the  launch,  and 
followed  with  alacrity  by  the  men  :  the  captain  and 
his  new  lieutenant  were  also  preparing  to  go  down, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  197 

when  each,  at  the  same  instant,  felt  himself  touch 
ed  from  behind,  and,  turning  round,  Elpsy  confront 
ed  them. 

"  Who  art  thou,  in  the  name  of  Beelzebub's 
mother  ?"  demanded  the  captain,  staring  with  aston 
ishment,  not  unrningled  with  superstitious  dread,  on 
the  deformed  and  hideous  being  who  had  so  sud 
denly  and  mysteriously  appeared  to  him. 

"  I  would  speak  with  thee,  Edmund  Turill !" 

"  Then  thou  art  Sathanas  !"  he  cried,  with  aston 
ishment  ;  "  how  knowest  thou  me  ?" 

"It  matters  not.  I  know  thee,"  she  replied,  in  a 
tone  of  mystery.  "  That  youth  goes  with  thee  ?" 
she  added,  inquiringly. 

"  He  does !" 

"  See,  then,  that  he  is  well  treated,  and  receives 
not  ill  at  thy  hands.  Remember,  once  thou  hadst 
a  son  !" 

"  Who  art  thou,  i'the  name  of  all  the  saints,  wo 
man  ?" 

"  It  matters  not.  When  thou  thinkest  of  thy 
poor  boy's  bones,  gibbeted  for  sharing  thy  guilt  o'er 
the  gate  of  Cork,  the  winds  whistling  through  them 
with  a  sad  wail,  look  kindly  on  this  youth,  and  take 
him  to  thy  heart,  as  if  he  were  thine  own  flesh  and 
blood!"  " 

"  I  will  do  it,"  he  said,  with  emotion. 

"  Swear  it." 

"  I  swear  it !" 

"  'Tis  well.  One  question  I  have  to  ask  thee, 
and  truly  answer  it." 

"  Name  it,  woman  !" 

"  Where  wanders  Hurtel  of  the  Red-Hand  ?" 

"'Tis  said  he  died  in  the  Indies !" 

"  'Tis  false  !"  she  cried,  with  energy.     "  He  can 
never  die  unaccursed  by  her  he  has  wronged.     No, 
no !  he  will  have  one  to  watch  his  pillow  in  his  dy- 
R2 


198  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

ing  throes  he  would  rather  burn  in  hell,  to  which 
he  is  doomed,  than  see.  No,  no  !  his  time  has  not 
yet  come !  his  master  will  not  let  him  slip  out  o' 
life  so  easily.  Oh,  it  will  be  a  glory  to  see  him 
die ;  and  mock  his  groans  ;  and  laugh,  laugh  at  his 
terrors  !  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Oh,  will  it  not  be  a  jubilee 
to  see  him  struggle  with  the  death !" 

"  I'God's  name,  woman,  tell  me  who  thou  art  ?" 

"  Dost  not  behold  what  I  am  ?  Wouldst  have 
fair  winds,  I  will  raise  thee  foul :  wouldst  have  a 
smooth  sea,  I  will  make  it  boil  and  hiss :  wilt  say 
a  prayer,  I  will  turn  it  into  a  curse  ere  it  can  leave 
thy  lips." 

"  Avaunt,  sorceress !"  he  cried,  crossing  himself 
with  horror. 

"  Ha,  ha !  so  you  can  feel  my  power  !  Oh,  well ! 
it  is  a-pleasant  to  make  men's  stout  hearts  quake. 
Dost  know  me  ?"  she  asked,  impressively,  ap 
proaching  her  face  close  to  his. 

"  No !"  he  said,  retreating  and  preparing  to  de 
scend  the  rock.  "  Avoid  thee,  Sathanas  !" 

"  Listen  !"  she  said,  approaching  and  laying  her 
hand  on  his  arm,  and  whispering  low  in  his  ear. 

"  Thou  /"  he  exclaimed,  instantly  starting  back, 
and  surveying  her  with  mingled  surprise,  curiosity, 
and  disgust. 

"  Wouldst  care  to  leave  thy  revels  and  their 
lord,  and,  stealing  to  her  lone  room,  offer  thy  drunk 
en  love  to  her  now  !  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Does  she  not 
look  a  comely  leman  for  thy  licentious  love  ?"  she 
added,  with  malicious  irony. 

He  gazed  on  her  a  few  seconds  by  the  light  of 
the  moon,  and  seemed  too  much  overpowered  by 
surprise  to  speak.  At  length  he  said,  in  a  tone  of 
horror, 

"  Hideous  as  thou  art,  it  must  be  as  thou  sayesl, 
for  only  thus  could  I  be  known  to  thee !  But, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  199 

holy  St.  Claus  !"  he  added,  in  a  tone,  "  this  lad — 
is  he—" 

"  No  matter  who  he  is !  see  thou  harm  him 
not !" 

.  "I  will  be  a  father  to  him,  woman!  Tore  Heav 
en,"  he  exclaimed  afresh,  gazing  upon  her  with 
mingled  curiosity  and  pity,  "  was  there  ever  such 
a — " 

"  Mind  me  not !  spare  your  sympathy  !  Go  ! — 
Stay  !"  she  cried,  earnestly  recalling  him  ;  "  if  you 
ever  meet  him,  breathe  not  into  his  ears  what  and 
whom  you  have  this  night  seen.  I  have  made  my 
self  known  to  thee  for  this  youth's  sake.  Fare 
well,  young  man,"  she  said,  approaching  Lester  as 
he  stood  on  the  rock,  to  which  he  had  bounded 
from  the  balcony  at  the  beginning  of  their  confer 
ence.  She  extended  her  hand  as  she  spoke.  He 
took  it,  and  grasped  it  warmly,  saying,  in  a  sooth 
ing  tone, 

"  Good-by,  Elpsy.  I  have  no  ill-will  against 
thee  in  my  heart.  Thou  hast  done  but  thy  duty  !" 

The  sorceress  seemed  to  be  moved,  turned  away 
from  him  without  speaking,  as  if  her  feelings  choked 
utterance,  and  stalked  away  through  the  hall,  and 
left  the  tower. 

"  Come,  my  lad,"  said  the  captain,  turning  away 
and  speaking  with  feeling,  after  following  with  his 
eyes  her  retreating  form  till  it  disappeared  in  the 
forest,  "  she  is  a  poor,  unhappy  creature,  and  it'll 
come  hard,  I'm  thinking,  on  him  that  made  her  so. 
But  this  is  no  time  for  sentiment.  Let  us  aboard 
and  make  an  offing  ere  the  dawn ;  for,  if  we  are 
spied  lying  here,  we  shall  have  the  king's  bulldog 
down  upon  us  from  windward  I  saw  lying  in  Cor 
Bay,  who  will  bark  to  some  purpose  if  he  should 
catch  us  here  on  a  lee  shore." 

Thus  speaking,  the  old  seaman  lightly  descended 


200  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

the  rock  to  the  boat,  followed  by  his  youthful  lieu 
tenant,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  reached  the  ves 
sel. 

The  moment  his  foot  touched  the  deck  the  cap 
tain  gave  orders  to  make  sail :  the  long,  crooked 
tiller  was  put  hard  up  to  windward  ;  the  heavy 
mainsail  swung  back  to  its  place  ;  the  vessel's  head 
turned  slowly  off,  and,  feeling  the  wind  on  her 
quarter,  she  stood  in  landward  for  a  few  seconds 
to  gain  headway,  and  then  came  gracefully  round 
with  her  starboard  bow  to  the  wind.  With  each 
broad  sail  drawn  nearly  fore  and  aft,  she  lay  as 
near  it  as  her  short  blunt  build  would  permit,  and 
stretched  away  from  the  shore  on  a  long  tack  to 
wards  the  south. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


'  If  solitude  succeed  to  grief, 
Release  from  pain  is  light  relief; 
The  vacant  bosom's  wilderness 
Might  thank  the  pang  that  made  it  less. 
The  heart  once  left  thus  desolate 
Must  fly  at  last  for  ease — to  hate." 

The  Giaour. 


THE  narrative  once  more  returns  to  Mark,  who, 
it  will  be  remembered,  had  arrived,  on  his  way  to 
Castle  More,  at  a  ruin  in  the  midst  of  the  forest 
he  was  traversing,  when  the  approach  of  two  horse 
men  caused  him  to  withdraw  from  the  path.  As 
he  did  so,  they  were  encountered  and  stopped  by 
some  one  who  unexpectedly  met  them  as  they  were 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  201 

galloping  past  the  lonely  pile.  Curious  to  know 
who  they  were  and  what  could  be  their  business 
at  that  late  hour,  he  entered  the  deep  shadow  of  the 
tower,  and  approached  so  near  them  as  to  discover 
that  the  men  wore  the  livery  of  Lady  Lester,  and 
that  the  person  with  Whom  they  were  talking  was 
none  other  than  the  witch  Elpsy,  with  whose  per 
son  he  had  been  familiar  from  childhood. 

After  Elpsy  disappeared  from  the  eyes  of  the  old 
bucanier  and  his  young  lieutenant  at  Hurtel's  tow 
er,  she  had  continued  to  move  rapidly  through  the 
forest  towards  Castle  Cor,  without  turning  either 
to  the  right  or  left.  Sometimes  she  would  skip  for 
ward  with  mad  hilarity  till  exhausted ;  at  others, 
leap,  and  clap  her  hands,  and  shout,  till  the  dales  of 
the  old  wood  rung  again  with  her  shrieking  laughter. 
From  the  unnatural  speed,  and  the  wild,  straight 
forward  direction  in  which  she  moved,  her  sole  ob 
ject  seemed  to  be  to  reach  some  point  for  which 
she  aimed  in  the  least  possible  time.  The  scared 
owl  hooted  aloud  at  her  approach,  and  flew,  with  a 
heavy  flap  of  his  thick  wings,  deeper  into  the  wood ; 
the  hawk  left  his  nest  with  a  shrill  cry  ;  the  deer 
fled  from  her  path  !  On,  on  she  bounded  and  leap 
ed  mocking  their  notes  of  terror,  like  a  demon  pur 
sued.  At  limes,  when  she  crossed  an  open  glade, 
where  the  moon  poured  down  her  \inobstrucied 
radiance,  she  would  suddenly  stop  and  mutter,  but 
without  appearing  to  notice  the  pale  orb  the  sight 
of  which,  by  directing  her  thoughts  into  another, 
but  not  less  turbulent  channel,  seemed  to  have  ex 
ercised  a  momentary  influence  on  her.  She  had 
travelled  six  miles  in  less  than  one  hour's  time, 
when  she  suddenly  stopped  in  the  full  light  of  the 
moon,  looked  up,  and  shook  her  open  hands  to 
wards  it  with  a  laugh  of  derision. 

"  Oh,  ho !  you  need  not  look  and  watch,  and 


• 

202  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

watch  and  look,  and  keep  your  pale  face  and  shining 
eyes  always  fixed  on  me  !  Dost  think  I  would  com 
mit  murder?  and  the  little  twinkling  stars  peer 
down  as  if  they  could  espy  a  knife  in  my  hand ! 
Look,  ye  little  glittering  winklings,"  she  cried, 
spreading  upward  her  open  palms,  "dost  see  a 
knife  ?  Ha,  ha,  ha !  ye  are  out  there.  I  am  too 
much  for  ye.  No,  I  know  ye  well,  with  your  wink 
ing  and  your  blinking  at  each  other,  and  how,  in 
the  darkest  night,  one  of  you  always  keeps  watch, 
to  spy  the  murders  done  in  the  absence  o'  the  sun  ; 
and  then  you  whisper  it  through  heaven,  and  tell  it 
to  the  earth,  and  then  we  hang  for  it.  Oh,  ho !  I 
have  a  charm  will  put  you  to  sleep.  Ha !  you 
laugh,  and  grin,  and  gibber,  that  I  have  lost  in  a 
half  hour's  tale  what  I  have  won  by  years  of  si 
lence.  Well,  well,  there'll  be  a  time  !  there'll  be  a 
time !" 

Dropping  her  head,  she  appeared  a  moment  as 
if  in  sullen  thought,  and  then  muttered,  in  a  tone 
and  manner  which,  more  than  words,  gave  a  key 
to  the  wild  phrensy  that  had  hitherto  possessed 
her, 

"  If  he  cannot  be  Lord  of  Lester,  neither  shall 
HE  !  He  dies  !  The  eye  of  the  moon  pierces  not 
this  wood  !  He  dies  !  'Tis  long  yet  to  dawn," 
she  abruptly  added,  moving  forward,  and  speaking 
with  more  coherency.  "  If  I  can  find  him  ere  the 
myrmidons  of  Lady  Lester  can  reach  him,  should 
she  send  for  him,  Castle  More  will  ne'er  own  other 
lord  than  he  who,  but  for  my  foul  tongue — may  it 
wither  in  my  throat! — would  now  have  been  Lord  of 
Lester.  He  dies  !  dies  !  dies  !  dies  !"  and,  hasting 
her  footsteps,  she  continued  to  repeat  the  word  at 
every  stride,  accompanying  it  with  a  threatening 
gesture  of  her  arm. 

Her  rapid  speed  soon  brought  her  to  the  ruins  of 


THE    WIZARD    OP   THE    SEA.  203 

the  abbey.  Bounding  like  an  ape  over  the  fallen 
blocks,  she  entered  the  door  in  the  tower,  and  with 
an  unfaltering  step  traversed  the  gallery  to  her  sub 
terraneous  abode,  which,  after  Lester's  angry  and 
fruitless  pursuit  of  her,  she  had  left  for  Muriel's 
tower,  fearing  that  he  might  despatch  a  party  from 
Castle  More  in  search  of  her,  for  the  purpose,  by 
her  death,  of  effectually  silencing  all  question  of  his 
birth. 

Entering  her  subterranean  abode,  she  produced 
a  light  without  flint,  or  steel,  or  fire,  but  by  smartly 
drawing  two  marks,  in  opposition  to  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  on  the  wall  with  a  small  stick,  the  end  of 
which  immediately  emitted  a  blue  flame,  and,  after 
a  fierce,  hissing  noise,  shot  up  into  a  bright  blaze. 
This,  to  the  peasantry  who  had  witnessed  it,  was 
one  of  the  strongest  evidences  of  her  being  in 
league  with  the  devil,  who,  it  was  asseverated, 
kindled  her  stick  for  her  in  the  unquenchable  fire. 

She  lighted  a  fragment  of  a  rush  candle  by  the 
flame,  and,  opening  a  small  box  containing  me 
dicinal  preparations,  took  therefrom  a  small  vial 
containing  an  amber-coloured  liquid,  and  held  it  to 
the  light.  She  looked  at  it  for  a  while  with  a  look 
of  vengeful  satisfaction,  and  then  placed  it  in  her 
bosom ;  afterward  she  took  a  rusty  poniard  from 
a  crevice  in  the  wall,  carefully  felt  its  point,  which 
was  ground  to  a  keen  edge,  and,  with  a  look  of  sat 
isfaction,  thrust  it  up  into  her  sleeve.  Then  extin 
guishing  the  light,  she  hastened  past  the  tomb  of 
Black  Morris,  and  with  a  quick,  determined  step, 
traversed  the  gallery  towards  its  outlet. 

As  she  approached  it  she  heard  the  tramp  of 
horses.  With  a  quick,  apprehensive  cry,  as  if  she 
at  once  divined  the  cause,  she  flew  through  the 
passage  into  the  moonlight,  and  saw  two  horsemen 
approaching  at  a  round  pace,  and  going  in  the  di- 


204  CAPTAIN   KYD  ;    OR, 

rection  of  Caslle  Cor :  as  they  came  nearer,  she 
recognised  them  as  the  chief  forester  and  the  sen 
eschal  from  Castle  More.  She  permitted  them  to 
gallop  along  the  road  till  they  were  within  a  few 
feet  of  her,  when  she  suddenly  stepped  forth  from 
the  black  shadow  of  the  tower,  and,  with  one  arm 
outstretched  brandishing  the  stiletto,  confronted 
them.  The  riders,  taken  by  surprise,  pulled  their 
horses  back  to  their  haunches,  and  both  instantly 
exclaimed,  with  superstitious  dread, 

"  Elpsy !" 

These  were  the  horsemen  Mark  turned  from  his 
path  to  avoid. 

"  I  am  Elpsy,"  she  repeated,  in  a  lofty  tone, 
"  Whither  ride  ye,  so  fast  and  free  ? 

"  If  ye  do  not  tell  me  true, 
Horses  each  shall  cast  a  shoe, 
And  evil  bide  ye,  ill  betide, 
As  ye  on  your  journey  ride  !" 

"  There  be  strange  doings  at  the  castle,  mother," 
said  the  seneschal,  pitching  his  voice  to  the  true 
gossiping  tone  ;  "  there's  me  young  loord — " 

"  Fait !  but  it's  jist  this — "  interrupted  the  other ; 
"  our  young  masther,  Lord  Robert,  is  not  masther's 
son  at  all  at  all,  and  masther's  son — " 

"  Murther  !  an'  it's  you  dat  have  it  wrong,  Ennis, 
honey,"  cried  the  other,  interrupting  him  in  his  turn  ; 
"  it's  jist  this,  ould  Mither  Eelpsy ;  Lord  Robert  is 
not  my  Lord  Robert  at  all  at  all,  and  the  raal  Lord 
Robert  is — " 

"  And  is  it  not  the  very  woords  I  was  afther  tilling 
the  crathur  ?"  interrupted  the  forester.  "  I  will 
give  it  to  ye,  Eelpsy,  dare,  in  the  right  way." 

"  Hist  with  your  tongues  !"  cried  the  impatient 
woman,  having  heard  enough  to  convince  her  that 
Robert  had  told  the  truth  in  saying  that  he  openly 
published  his  own  shame.  "  Hold  with  your  sense- 


THE    WIZARD  OF   THE    SEA.  205 

less  words,  fools  !     I  can  tell  ye  more  than  both  of 
ye  together,  and  all  Castle  Cor,  know." 

"  We  know  dat,  ould  mither  !  Don't  forget  to 
crass  yourself,  Jarvey,  honey,"  added  the  speaker, 
aside,  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  his  breast. 
"  It's  the  great  dale  ye  know,  and  the  likes  o'  ye, 
and  it's  not  we  that  is  to  gainsay  it  this  night." 

"Whither  ride  ye?"  she  demanded,  impatiently 
taking  hold  of  the  bridle  of  one  of  the  horses. 

"  Och,  an'  isn't  it  to  bring  with  all  speed  that 
young  jintleman  o'  the  world,  Mark  Meredith,  the 
ould  fisherman's  son,  to  be  sure,  to  Castle  More," 
said  the  forester. 

"  At  whose  bidding  ?"  she  demanded. 

"  Our  lady's,  the  jewil !"  answered  the  senes 
chal. 

"  Go  back,  and  tell  the  Dark  Lady  of  the  Rock 
that  thus  says  Elpsy,  the  sorceress  :  '  He  whom 
she  seeks  she  will  never  find  !'" 

"  But  it's  the  disthress  she'll  be  in,"  said  the  sen 
eschal. 

"  And  it's  the  deep  grief  o'  the  world  that's  upon 
her  now,"  added  the  other. 

"  Och,  but  it  will  be  bad  news  to  be  afther  bring 
ing  back  to  her  that  sint  us,"  pursued  Ennis,  with 
a  howl. 

"  Widout  iver  having  gone  at  all  at  all,"  said 
Jarvey,  in  a  tone  of  grief. 

"  A  cush-la-ma-chree,  Jarvey,  but  it's  find  the 
lad  we  must !"  cried  Ennis,  with  sudden  resolution. 

"  And  it's  the  ould  mither  that's  here,  bliss  her, 
'11  maybe  till  us  where  he  may  be  jist  at  this  pres 
ent,"  added  Jarvey,  insinuatingly. 

"  Do  you  hesitate  to  obey  me  !  Go  back,  even 
as  you  came.  If  she  ask  you  where  the  lad  is,  tell 
her  Elpsy  has  said,  '  Lester  has  no  lord .'"' 

"  Och,  hone !  and  will  it  be  the  world's  thruth, 

VOL.  I.— S 


206  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

Elpsy,  hinney  !     It'll  break  the  spirit  of  her,  in  her 
lone  bosom." 

"And  whal'll  the  castle  do  widout  a  lord! 
That  I  should  live  to  see  it !"  wailed  the  senes 
chal. 

"  And  must  we  go  back  to  the  Dark  Lady  wid 
dis  heavy  sorrow  to  the  fore  ?"  asked  the  forester. 

"  E'en  must  ye  !  So  !"  she  cried,  turning,  with  a 
sudden  jerk  of  the  rein,  the  head  of  one  of  the 
horses  towards  the  direction  in  which  they  had 
come.  "  Ride,  ride,"  she  added,  in  a  commanding 
but  wild  tone,  "nor  look  behind  till  ye  are  safe 
within  the  gates,  lest  ye  care  to  see  the  evil  one 
astraddle  of  your  crupper." 

"  The  houly  crass  protict  us !"  they  both  ejac 
ulated,  crossing  themselves. 

"  Good  e'en  to  ye,  mither.  It's  yourself  is  the 
crathur  for  knowing  the  world's  thruth,"  added  Jar- 
vey,  as  if  by  flattery  he  would  disarm  any  evil  in 
tention  she  might  cherish  in  reference  to  himself. 

"And  it's  to  her  we're  indibted  for  not  riding 
tree  leagues  for  nothing  at  all  at  all,  whin  the  lad's 
not  to  the  fore  !  Faix,  it's  my  thanks  ye  have,  ould 
Elpsy,  for't,  an'  its  yer  due,  were  ye  the  ould  divil 
himself,"  returned  Ennis,  gathering  up  his  rein. 
"  Kape  your  head  straight  between  yer  shoulder, 
Jarvey." 

"  It's  me,  honey,  will  niver  be  afther  looking  be- 
hint,"  replied  Jarvey,  setting  his  face  towards  Cas 
tle  More. 

Thus  taking  leave  of  the  wily  woman,  these  two 
old  simple-minded  retainers  rode  back  again  ;  their 
obtuse  minds  probably  scarce  comprehending  the 
nature  of  the  loss  Lady  Lester  had  met  with,  the 
exchanged  fortunes  of  their  late  young  master,  nor 
the  important  object  of  their  mission. 

She  looked   after  them  as  they  galloped  away 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  207 

till  they  were  lost  in  the  gloom  of  the  forest, 
when,  clapping  her  hands,  she  broke  into  a  peal  of 
frantic  merriment,  which  was  more  like  the  shriek 
of  a  fiend  than  like  human  laughter. 

"  Ah,  ha !  have  I  not  done  it  well !  I  met  them 
here  just  in  time.  Satan  stands  my  friend  yet !  If 
he  did  make  me  lose  the  game,  he  has  helped  to 
keep  another  from  winning  it.  No,  Lester  shall 
never  have  a  lord  at  the  expense  of  him  who,  but 
for  my  accursed  tongue  and  his  silly  honour! 
would  still  have  been  its  master.  Ho,  ho !  have  I 
not  done  it !  Now  it  remains  for  me,  ere  he  can 
learn  the  secret  of  his  birth,  to  send  him  where  low 
and  highborn  are  all  on  a  level !  This !  and,  if  this 
fail,  this"  she  said,  grasping  first  the  vial  and  then 
the  dagger,  "  shall  do  my  will !  It's  a  wicked  act — 
I  know  it ! — 'tis  a  deed  of  hell !  I  would  not  harm 
the  poor  lad — no ;  for  he  is  like  an  own  child  to 
me — but,  then,  he  is  not  my  child — and  shall  I  see 
him  in  the  seat  from  which  he  has  been  cast  out  ? 
No,  no,  this  steel  shall  drink — this  poison  shall  dry 
up,  his  noble  blood  first !" 

"  Of  whom  do  you  speak  in  such  fearful  words, 
mother  ?" 

She  started  with  mingled  terror  and  astonish 
ment,  and  beheld  standing  at  her  side  the  uncon 
scious  object  of  her  thoughts.  Her  surprise  at  his 
sudden,  and,  as  she  at  first  believed,  supernatural 
appearance,  for  the  moment  deprived  her  of  her 
speech ;  she  dropped  the  hand  that  held  the  vial, 
which  was  dashed  in  pieces  against  a  stone,  and 
gazed  on  him  for  several  seconds  with  a  disturbed 
and  remorseful  countenance. 

"  Did  you  hear  all  my  words  ?"  she  at  length  had 
the  resolution  to  ask,  advancing  a  step  towards 
him,  and  speaking  in  a  deep,  husky  tone. 

"  No,  mother.    I  have  been  in  the  shadow  of 


208  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

yonder  bastion,  waiting  the  departure  of  those 
horsemen." 

"  Then  you  could  not  hear  their  speech  ?"  she 
interrogated,  with  an  eagerness  of  voice  and  man 
ner  that  he  could  not  account  for. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  firmly. 

"  You  have  not  spoken  with  them  ?" 

"  No." 

"  They  have  not  told  you — that  is,  you  are  Mark 
Meredith,  the  grandson  of  old  Meredith,  the  fish 
erman  ?  Speak,  boy  !" 

"  Surely  I  am,  Elpsy ;  do  you  not  discern  my 
face  by  this  moon  ?  I  fear,"  he  said,  in  a  kind 
tone,  "  you  have  not  taken  good  care  of  yourself  of 
late,  and  are  a  little  fevered.  Go  down  to  our  hut, 
if  you  can  walk  so  far,  and  you  will  find  a  meal  of 
fish  there,  of  my  own  taking,  which  I  left  my 
grandsire  preparing  for  me.  Bid  him  give  you  my 
portion.  Good-night,  Elpsy,  I  have  business  at 
Castle  More." 

As  he  spoke  he  stepped  aside  to  pass  her  and 
pursue  his  way.  His  hospitable  and  kind  invita 
tion  had  touched  her.  She  was  not  so  seared  that 
gentleness  and  words  of  kindness  could  not  find  a 
vibrating  chord  within  her  bosom.  Gradually,  as 
he  spoke  she  relaxed  her  hand  from  its  grasp  on  the 
poniard,  which,  on  discovering  him,  she  had  instinct 
ively  concealed  in  the  folds  of  her  scarlet  cloak,  and 
extended  it  towards  him  in  a  grateful  manner.  But 
the  expression  of  his  intention  to  proceed  to  the 
abode  of  Lady  Lester  caused  her  suddenly  to  draw 
it  back,  while  in  a  quick,  harsh  tone  of  voice,  and 
with  great  vehemence  of  manner,  in  which  alarm 
and  apprehension  were  visible,  she  cried, 

"  Castle  More  !  What  hast  thou  to  do  at  Castle 
More  ?" 

"  I  bear  a  message  to  Robert  of  Lester  !     Detain 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  209 

me  not,  Elpsy ;   I  have  already  lingered  on  the 
way." 

Who  sends  thee  ?" 

'  The  young  lady  of  Bellamont." 

'  Thy  message  ?" 

:  I  know  not.     'Tis  in  this  sealed  pacquet." 
Is  this  all  for  which  thou  art  sent  ?" 
It  is." 
No  instructions — no  commands  ?" 

'  None,  save  to  make  no  delay  at  Castle  More, 
lest  my  young  lord  and  I  should  renew  a  quarrel 
we  had  this  day." 

"  Nothing  else  ?" 

"Nothing.  But  why  these  rapid  questions — 
this  anxiety  of  manner?  What  has  come  over 
thee,  Elpsy  ?"  he  asked,  with  surprise. 

She  had  put  this  series  of  interrogations  to  him 
with  an  irresistible  energy  and  rapidity,  that  left 
him  no  alternative  but  direct  and  instant  replies. 
At  first  she  gave  him  no  answer ;  her  face  work 
ed  convulsively,  and  she  seemed  to  be  contending 
with  some  strong  feelings,  that  she  in  vain  strove 
to  get  the  mastery  over.  At  length  she  muttered 
within  her  lips, 

"  I  had  feared  !  But  'tis  safe,  safe.  'Tis  a  pity 
to  slay  the  fair  young  lad  ;  but,  if  I  do  not,  he  will 
know  that  which  he  never  must  know — become 
that  he  never  shall  become  !  He  must  not  see 
Castle  More.  He  must  die  rather !  Mark,  come 
to  me,"  she  said,  in  a  hollow  and  unearthly  tone ; 
"  I  would  whisper  in  your  ear  what  I  would  not 
have  the  laughing  and  grinning  devils  that  flit  about 
us  in  the  air,  hear  !  Come  to  me  and  listen  !" 

While  she  was  speaking  she  nervously  grasped 

the  handle  of  her  dagger,  and  took  a  step  towards 

him.     Her  manner  hitherto  had  already  aroused 

his  watchfulness,  and  the  tone  of  her  invitation  by 

S  2  -  ^ 


210  CAPTAIN    KYD  ;    OR, 

no  means  increased  his  confidence.  He  did  not, 
indeed,  suspect  any  attempt  upon  his  life  by  her; 
but,  being  familiar  with  her  restless  and  violent  na 
ture,  he  was  prepared  to  expect  some  annoying 
violence ;  and  for  this  he  was  cautiously  on  the 
watch. 

"  Wilt  not  approach  ?"  she  said,  in  a  coaxing 
tone.  "  'Tis  a  sweet  and  fair  tale  I  would  tell 
thee  !  Ha,  ha !  as  fair  and  sweet  as  I  told  the 
Lord  Robert  yestere'en !  Wilt  not  come  ?"  she 
shouted,  as  she  saw  he  continued  to  step  back  as 
she  advanced  ;  "  then  will  I  come  !" 

She,  with  these  words,  made  a  spring  towards 
him,  seized  him  suddenly  by  the  breast,  and  bran 
dished  her  poniard  in  the  air.  He  was  not  unpre 
pared  for  this,  sudden  as  it  was  :  he  caught  her  up 
raised  arm,  and  bent  it  backward  over  her  head 
till  she  shrieked  with  pain,  and,  with  a  cool  and 
determined  exertion  of  his  whole  strength,  cast  her 
from  him  so  violently  as  to  hurl  her  to  the  earth. 
She  sprang  to  her  feet  like  a  cat,  and,  with  a  yell 
of  rage,  again  leaped  upon  him.  He  avoided  her 
attack  by  lightly  springing  to  one  side,  when,  miss 
ing  her  blow,  she  fell  forward  and  struck  her  head 
on  the  edge  of  a  stone,  and  sunk  to  the  ground 
senseless  and  bleeding. 

He  instantly  flew  to  her  relief,  lifted  her  from 
the  earth,  and  attempted  to  assuage  the  flow  of 
blood  from  a  severe  contusion  that  she  had  received 
on  the  forehead.  In  a  little  time  the  loss  of  blood 
restored  her  to  consciousness  ;  it  also  had  the  effect 
of  subduing  her  high  fever  of  excitement,  and 
making  her  comparatively  calm.  She  permitted 
him  to  bind  a  handkerchief,  that  he  took  from  his 
own  neck,  across  her  temples ;  but  she  neither 
spoke  nor  acknowledged  his  attentions,  but  sat  in 
sullen  silence  on  the  ground. 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  211 

"  Elpsy,"  asked  the  youth,  at  length,  "  why  do 
you  seek  my  life  ?" 

"  You  can  never  know !"  she  replied,  slowly 
shaking  her  head  with  morose  inflexibility. 

"  Have  I  wronged  you  ?" 

"Ask  me  not!" 

"  Is  it  thirst  for  blood,  evil  woman,  that  drives 
thee  to  this  crime  ?" 

"  I  would  not  slay  thee,  but  thou  and  I,  boy,  can 
never  live  in  the  same  land  !"  she  said,  obstinately. 

"  Thou  mightst  have  spared  this  attempt,  then, 
on  my  life,  for  soon  the  deep  sea  will  roll  between 
me  and  my  native  isle." 

"How  !  Explain  your  words  !"  she  asked,  with 
awakened  interest. 

"  I  am  resolved,  as  nature  has  denied  me  nobil 
ity  of  birth,  to  give  it  at  least  to  those  who  come 
after  me." 

"  Speak  on  !"  she  cried,  hanging  on  his  words 
with  intense  expectation. 

"  I  am  going  from  my  father's  roof  into  the 
world,  to  see  if  I  cannot  make  men  forget  from  what 
I  have  sprung !" 

"  Is  this  thy  purpose,  boy  ?    Speak  truly  !" 

"  It  is,  Elpsy.  Seven  hours  ago  I  had  nearly 
linked  my  fortunes  with  the  yacht  that  takes  the 
earl  to  England  on  the  morrow — but — " 

"  But,  what  ?"  she  eagerly  demanded. 

"  My  father — I  thought  of  him,  and — " 

"  Would  not." 

"  I  cannot  desert  him  to  suffering  and  want." 

"  And  is  this  all  ?"  she  asked,  her  face  lighting 
up  with  a  newly  awakened  thought. 

"  The  sole  cause." 

She  began  eagerly  to  search  her  belt,  and  drew 
forth  from  it  a  heavy  purse.  Shaking  it  with  a  grat 
ified  air,  she  then  poured  its  glittering  contents  on 
the  ground  beside  her 


212  CAPTAIN    KYD J    OR, 

"  See  that  pile  of  gold  !  To-morrow  go  in  this 
king's  ship,  and  it  shall  be  yours — there  are  three 
hundred  guilders  told — 'twill  give  the  old  man  food 
and  raiment  for  a  longer  life  than  his  will  be,  and 
afterward  buy  a  coffin  for  his  bones.  Wilt  go  ?" 

"  Mother,"  said  he,  his  heart  leaping  with  joy 
and  hope,  yet  both  tempered  with  the  doubt  to 
which  he  gave  utterance,  "  this  wealth  !  is  it  thine  ? 
How  came  you  by  it  ?" 

"  It  matters  not." 

"  I  dare  not  touch  it.  I  fear  'tis  the  price  of  sin 
— or,  perhaps,  of  blood." 

"  Fool ;  'tis  wealth  I've  had  in  store  these  eigh 
teen  years,  given  to  me  by  times  by  one  who,  if 
'there  be  justice  in  Heaven  or  hell,  is  now  accursed 
on  earth.  There  is  no  more  evil  in  it  than  in  every 
piece  of  gold  that  the  earth  contains — all  gold  is 
evil — it  is  all  but  the  price  of  honour,  of  honesty, 
or  of  human  blood.  Take  it,  and  depart  from  this 
land." 

He  gazed  on  the  glittering  heap,  and  hope,  by  its 
aid,  pictured  bright  visions  of  the  future,  and  the 
fruition  of  all  his  aspiring  wishes.  Ambition  once 
more  awakened  in  his  heart.  Yet  he  hesitated. 
But,  while  he  did  so,  he  thought  of  Kate  Bella- 
mont — of  the  proud  Lester — of  his  hopes  of  the  fu 
ture — of  all  that  he  had  loved  to  contemplate ;  he 
even  gave  a  thought  to  Grace  Fitzgerald  :  all  that 
an  aspiring  mind  like  his,  at  such  a  time,  could 
be  influenced  by,  had  its  effect  upon  him.  She 
narrowly  watched  his  countenance,  read  rightly  his 
thoughts,  and,  feeling  assured  of  his  acceptance  of 
it,  mentally  congratulated  herself  that  her  object 
could  be  effected  without  the  shedding  of  his  blood. 
She  waited  till  she  thought  his  mind  was  sufficient 
ly  ripe  for  her  purpose,  then  replaced  the  gold  in 
the  purse,  and,  balancing  it  in  her  hand,  said, 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  213 

"  Before  you  take  this  purse,  I  name  one  condi 
tion  of  its  acceptance." 

He  looked  to  her  to  mention  it. 

"  That  you  for  ever  drop  your  present  name  and 
assume  another ;  that  you  never  breathe  to  mortal 
ear  the  place  of  your  birth,  nor  give  clew  to  your 
country." 

"  I  gladly  promise  this — for  already  I  had  re 
solved  on  it,  Elpsy.  I  have  one  great  motive  for 
doing  so.  But  what  can  be  yours  ?" 

"  'Tis  no  matter.     You  promise  this  ?" 

"  Cheerfully." 

"Then  take  the  gold  for  thy  grandsire's  sup 
port." 

"  Thanks,  thanks,  kind  Elpsy — yet — " 

"  Not  a  word  of  objection.  I  have  two  favours 
to  ask  of  thee." 

"  Name  them,"  said  he,  with  an  eagerness  that 
evinced  a  desire  to  serve  her. 

l<  Promise  that  you  will  hold  no  speech  with  any 
one  before  thy  departure." 

"  I  do,"  he  said,  after  an  instant's  hesitation. 

"  Swear  that  thou  wilt  never  set  foot  on  this  isle 
again." 

"  Nay,  I  will  not  swear  it,"  he  said,  with  deter 
mination. 

"  Wilt  thou  obey  me  ?  Swear  it !"  she  cried,  in 
a  tone  of  fierce  command. 

"  Who  art  thou  that  I  should  yield  thee  obedi 
ence,  woman  ?  I  yield  obedience  to  none  save  my 
Maker !" 

"  Wilt  thou  swear  ?"  she  asked,  with  more  com 
posure. 

"  Never." 

The  resolute  attitude  he  so  unexpectedly  as 
sumed  disconcerted  her  for  an  instant.  At  length 
she  said, 


214  CAPTA.IN    KYD  ;    OR, 

"  Wilt  thou  promise  never  to  return  here  under 
thy  own,  that  is — thy  present  name  ?" 

"Yes,  most  freely.  Now  farewell,  Elpsy;  I 
must  hasten  to  Castle  More." 

"  You  go  not  to  Castle  More !"  she  exclaimed, 
with  singular  emphasis. 

"  I  am  intrusted  with  a  message,  and  must  de 
liver  it." 

"  Give  it  to  me,  I  will  be  its  bearer." 

"  Nay,  I  must  myself  place  it  in  Lord  Robert's 
hands,  in  person." 

"  Give  it  me,  boy !  I  will  bear  it  safely  to  its 
destination." 

"  No,  Elpsy." 

"  Go  to  Castle  More,  and  you  sail  not  on  the  mor 
row,"  she  said,  in  a  determined  tone,  replacing  the 
gold  in  her  belt.  • 

He  hesitated.  After  a  brief  struggle  between 
his  duty  to  Grace  Fitzgerald  and  her  cousin,  and 
his  own  wishes,  he  at  length  said,  falteringly, 

"  May  I  trust  you  to  deliver  it,  Elpsy  ?" 

"  Yes." 

He  turned  the  billet,  with  its  lock  of  hair,  over 
and  over,  gazed  on  it  long  and  fondly  on  every 
side,  and,  from  his  reluctance  to  resign  the  pre 
cious  treasure,  there  appeared  to  have  arisen  a 
new  bar  to  Elpsy's  purpose.  At  length  he  made 
a  compromise  with  his  feelings  by  slipping  off  the 
braid  of  hair,  and  hastily  concealing  it  in  his  bo 
som,  while  he  gave  her  the  unsecured  packet. 

"  Place  it  only  in  the  hands  of  Robert  of  Lester, 
Elpsy." 

"  None  else  shall  see  it." 

"  Speedily,  if  you  are  not  too  ill." 

"  It  will  take  many  a  harder  buffet  than  that 
thou  gavest  me  to  make  me  ill.  He  shall  have  it 
ere  thou  art  half  a  league  on  thy  return." 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  215 

"  Then,  Elpsy,  I  go.  Fare  thee  well,  and  may 
Heaven  have  you  in  better  keeping  than  your  life 
now  gives  hope  of.  Will  you  call  at  times  when 
I  am  away  to  see  my  grandfather  ?  He  will  be 
lonely." 

"Many  will  be  the  gossip  we'll  yet  have  to 
gether.  Now  go  !  Take  my  blessing — 'twill  do 
thee  no  harm,  if  it  can  do  no  good  !  When  does 
the  ship  sail  ?" 

"  The  Earl  of  Bellamont  will  return  from  Kin- 
sale  in  the  morning,  and  'tis  said  that  before  noon 
she  will  be  under  weigh." 

"  The  sooner  the  better.  Go  at  once  on  board, 
nor  let  the  rising  sun  find  thee  on  the  land.  Fare 
well." 

"  Farewell,  Elpsy.  Don't  forget  the  poor  old 
man  !" 

"  He  shall  never  want  while  Elpsy  lives.  Now 
fare  thee  well,  and — remember  /"  she  added,  im 
pressively. 

They  now  separated  ;  the  young  man  rapidly  re 
tracing  his  way  to  his  hut,  with  a  buoyant  tread  and 
lightness  of  spirit,  his  imagination  filled  with  daz 
zling  visions  of  the  future ;  Elpsy  bending  her 
steps  steadily  in  the  direction  of  Castle  More,  her 
soul  exulting  in  the  master-stroke  of  policy  she  had 
effected.  When  he  was  no  longer  visible,  she 
stopped,  and,  opening  the  packet,  by  the  light  of  the 
moon  curiously  examined  the  locket  and  its  de 
vice,  the  application  of  which,  without  understand 
ing  its  motto,  she  intuitively  comprehended,  and 
then  read  the  contents  of  the  billet  with  a  loud, 
scornful  laugh. 

"  And  would  she  meet  him  now  with  love  ?  Ha, 
ha  !  The  haughty  maiden  would  toss  her  head,  did 
he  bear  this  to  her,  she  knowing  his  birth.  Oh  !" 
she  added,  with  a  malignant  chuckle,  "  that  I  had 


216  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

let  him  married  her  ere  this  secret  had  let  out — 
would  it  not  have  been  a  brave  thing  then  to  have 
brought  down  the  pride  of  these  gentles  !  If  I 
could  have  kept  the  secret  till  their  honeymoon 
was  over !  Fiends  !"  she  exclaimed,  with  mad 
dened  disappointment,  "  what  precious  revenge  I 
have  lost !  Shall  I  not  have  a  taste  of  what  is  left 
me  ?  Shall  I  not  yet  tell  her  who  and  what  he  is  ? 
Oh,  will  it  not  be  joy  to  my  soul  to  witness  her 
ravings  !  I'll  do't !  I'll  do't !  There's  something 
left  yet  to  live  for !  There's  mischief  yet  to  do  in 
the  earth.  But  I  must  first  watch  this  sprout  of 
Lester — this  fisher's  boy !  I  shall  not  have  to 
touch  his  life  if  he'll  get  off  before  he  learns  his 
true  rank  ;  but  I'll  follow  him  like  his  shadow, 
nor  will  I  take  eyes  off  him  till  the  ship  he  sails 
in  goes  out  of  my  sight  beyond  the  ocean's  edge. 
Then  will  I  to  Castle  Cor,  and  see  if  Lady  Kate 
will  receive  me,  the  bearer  of  this  locket,  '  with 
love  !'  Haven't  I  a  tale  for  her  delicate  ear  !  Oh, 
there  is  yet  something  to  live  for !  Elpsy'll  not 
die  while  there's  devil's  work  to  do  !  So !  methinks 
I  feel  a  little  giddy  for  walking,"  she  continued, 
tottering  against  the  trunk  of  a  tree  ;  "  but  I'll  soon 
fall  into  my  old  gait.  A  little  bloodletting  of  a 
moonshiny  night  is  ever  good  for  the  health." 

Thus  muttering  to  herself,  she  turned  back  to 
wards  the  ruin,  and  began  to  walk  in  the  direction 
taken  by  Mark,  at  first  slowly ;  but,  gradually  gath 
ering  strength  with  motion  and  excitement,  she  soon 
strode  through  the  long,  dark  glades  of  the  forest 
at  a  rate  that  soon  brought  her  in  sight  of  him. 
Keeping  so  far  in  the  rear  as  not  to  be  discovered 
by  him  should  he  chance  to  turn  his  head,  she  fol 
lowed  him  out  of  the  wood,  then  down  to  the  sea 
side  and  along  the  beach,  till  she  saw  him,  just  as 
the  day  broke,  lift  the  latch  of  the  door  of  his  hum- 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  2lt 

ble  cot  and  disappear  within.  She  then  sought  a. 
recess  in  the  cliff  in  the  rear  of  the  hut,  where,  se^- 
creting  herself  in  a  clump  of  low  bushes  that  grevv 
about  it,  she  remained  concealed  until  some  time  afr 
ter  sunrise,  when  she  saw  him  reappear  accompa 
nied  by  the  fisherman',  and  beheld  both  go  togeth 
er  to  the  beach,  launch  their  little  fisher's  bark,  hoist 
the  sail,  and  leave  the  shore.  She  eagerly  watched 
them  as  they  stood  off  from  the  land,  and  with  un* 
speakable  triumph  saw  them  run  alongside  of  the 
yacht.  With  emotions  of  malignant  joy,  she  be*- 
held  Mark  take  leave  of  his  grandsire  and  get  on 
board,  and  the  solitary  old  man  quit  the  vessel  alone 
and  steer  in  shore  towards  his  desolate  hut.  As 
his  skiff  grated  upon  the  beach,  she  met  hirrh 

"  So  ho,  father  Meredith !  thou  hast  been  sell 
ing  thy  fish  to  a  good  market.  The  English  hav€ 
the  silver  coin,  wjiich  thou  wilt  scarce  find  at  th£ 
Cove  ayond.  What  price  gave  these  warsmen  fof 
thy  herring  the  morn,  gossip  ?"  she  inquired,  as* 
sisting  him  with  her  arm  from  the  boat  as  she 
spoke. 

"  It  was  no  sale  o'  the  herring  at  all,  womah  Elp1 
sy,"  said  the  old  man,  shaking  his  head  mournfully^ 
and  placing  the  stone  kedge  of  his  boat  in  a  crev 
ice  in  the  rocks  so  as  to  secure  it  against  being  borne 
off  by  the  ebbing  tide ;  "  it's  no  a  sale  o'  the  fishj 
woman  dear,  but  o'  my  own  flesh  and  blood.  Och 
hone !  och  hone !  and  it's  the  ould  gray-headed 
man'll  never  see  his  face  more  !" 

He  turned  towards  the  yacht  as  he  spoke>  and 
stretching  forth  his  hands  towards  it,  wailed  aloud  : 
at  length  his  lament  ceased,  or,  rathe^  changed  to 
a  flood  of  tender  epithets,  eloquent  with  the  depth 
of  Irish  sorrow,  which  he  applied  to  the  youth, 
while  his  dim,  eyes  were  vainly  strained  towards 

VOL.  I.— T 


218  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

the  vessel,  to  distinguish  once  more  his  beloved 
form. 

"What  means  this  sorrow,  father  Meredith? 
Who  hast  thou  sofd  ?" 

"  The  lad — my  grandson  !  a-cush  la-ma  chree  ! 
I  have  sold  him  for  gold.  There,  woman,  take 
thine  again  !  I  will  none  of  it !"  he  cried,  with  sud 
den  vehemence,  drawing  the  purse  she  had  given 
Mark  from  his  jacket,  and  throwing  it  at  her  feet. 
"  'Tis  the  price  of  blood,  and  I  will  not  have  it,  evil 
woman." 

"  Hear  me,  father  Meredith,"  she  said,  deliber 
ately  placing  her  hands  upon  his  shoulders,  and 
looking  him  earnestly  in  the  face.  "  I  know  the 
purpose  of  thy  visit  to  yonder  king's  ship.  I  know 
whom  thou  hast  left  there.  Thou  hast  done  well 
and  wisely  in  permitting  him  to  depart.  He  has 
left  gold  for  thy  wants,  and  has  told  thee  how  he 
came  by  it.  'Twas  my  gift  to  him  and  thee." 

"  'Tis  the  price  o'  his  blood,  woman  !"  he  said, 
with  a  heavy  moan  of  mingled  grief  and  indignation. 

"  'Tis  the  price  of  his  life,  old  man  !  Were  he 
not  now  in  yonder  brigantine,  the  sands  ere  this 
would  have  drunken  his  blood,"  she  added,  with 
fierceness.  "  Hist !  ask  not  what  I  mean.  What 
I  have  said  is  true.  I  have  sent  him  away  to  save 
his  life,  and  that  there  may  be  one  less  murder  on 
the  earth.  Go  to  thy  hut  and  content  thee  with  this 
gold.  'Tis  a  friendly  gift,  old  father.  'Twill  save 
thee  from  labour  so  long  as  thy  life  shall  last.  I 
will  come  and  gossip  with  thee  o'  evenings,  and,  hey ! 
sirs,"  she  cried,  skipping  -on  before  him  with  fan 
tastic  gambols,  as  he  placed  his  slender  oars  on  his 
shoulder,  "  won't  we  pass  the  time  merrily  ?  I  will 
make  fairies  dance  before  thy  door  o'  moonshiny 
nights  for  thy  entertainment;  call  the  mermaids  up 
from  the  bottom  o*  the  blue  sea  to  sing  thee  to  sleep 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  219 

when  thou  art  aweary ;  and  tell  thee  tales  o'  hob 
goblins  and  spirits  till  the  moon  fades  in  the  morn 
ing.  Oh,  we  will  have  times,  father  Meredith  !" 

"  But  will  he  come  back,  Elpsy,  woman  ?" 

"The  devil  forbid  !"  she  responded,  half  aloud. 
"  Ay,  father ;  thou  wilt  yet  see  him  return  a  brave 
sailor,  and  with  piles  o'  wealth.  Faith,  sirs,  I  would 
not  wonder  if  he  should  build  thee  a  castle  with 
his  gold,  and  make  a  lord  o'  thee.  Ha,  ha,  ha, 
father  Meredith !  thou  wouldst  make  a  proper 
lord  !" 

"  He,  he,  he  !  Elpsy,  thou  art  pleasant.  If  the 
lad's  gone,  I'll  make  the  best  o't  till  the  saints 
give  him  back  in  good  time.  Come  to  my  hut  and 
break  thy  fast,  avourneen  !  He  was  ever  o'er  lofty, 
and  had  notions  above  his  class.  He  was  unhap 
py,  the  creature,  because  he  was  not  equal  with 
the  young  Lord  o'  Castle  More.  Be-dad  !  Elpsy, 
honey,  one  would  ha'  thought  he  were  of  gentle 
blood !" 

She  started,  and  closely  scrutinized  the  old  fish 
erman's  face ;  but,  seeing  nothing  to  confirm  her 
now  constantly  active  suspicions,  she  said, 

"  He  was  above  his  birth,  as  you  say,  gossip ! 
The  sea  will  be  a  school  for  him,  and  teach  him 
his  place.  He  will  make  a  better  sailor  than  lord. 
Ha,  ha,  ha  !  will  he  not,  father  Meredith  ?"  and 
she  laughed  coldly  and  sarcastically  as  she  spoke. 

"  He  was  always  a  good  sailor,  Elpsy,  woman  ! 
Ne'er  a  ship  came  int'  the  Cove  he  went  not  up  to 
her  main  truck  ;  nor  a  craft  lay  becalmed  i'  the  sight 
o'  the  bay  he  went  not  aboard  and  through  every 
part  o'  her.  He  knew  every  rope  in  a  ship  as  well 
as  an  admiral,  the  crathur!  Ah,  woman,  he  could 
do  an  officer's  duty  this  day  as  well  as  the  keptain 
o'  the  yacht  yonder.  He  seemed  to  take  to  a  sea 
man's  life  nat'rally,  and  it  was  ever  discontented 


220  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

he  was  in  the  skiff.  He  loved  to  talk  o'  big  ships, 
and  foreign  lands,  battles  by  sea,  and  storms,  and 
shipwreck,  and  the  likes  o'  them  things  ;  arid,  with 
all  his  high  notions,  he  ever  loved  a  sailor  betther 
than  a  lord,  and  the  sailors  all  liked  him,  the 
jewil  !" 

"  He  is  in  his  place,  then,  father  Meredith,'* 
said  Elpsy,  chiming  in  with  the  favourable  train  of 
the  old  fisherman's  garrulous  praises  of  the  youth. 
"  Thou  wouldst  not  call  him  ashore  now  an  thou 
eouldst." 

"Nay,  I  would  not  say  that,  Elpsy,  woman. 
Yet  I  begin  to  think  the  lad  be  best  where  he  is. 
Yet  it  will  be  a  dark  day  to  my  soul  when  the  ship 
sails  a-sea  with  him  —  the  light  o'  my  eyes  !  the 
core  o*  my  heart .'  Och,  hone  !  Sad  will  be  the  day 
to  the  soul  o*  me,  Elpsy,  woman  !  Come  in,  cra^ 
thur,  honey,  an'  take  a  bite  o'  the  breakfast.  It's 
you  it  is  that's  the  comfort  o'  my  lone  bosom  now, 
avourneen  !" 

"  No,  no,  I  have  much  to  do  the  mornin',  old 
man  !"  she  said,  turning  from  the  door  as  the  fish 
erman,  after  standing  his  oars  up  beside  it,  placed 
his  hand  upon  the  latch.  "  Take  the  gold  freely  ;. 
it  is  thine  !"  she  added,  casting  it  through  the  win 
dow  upon  the  earthen  floor  of  the  cabin.  "  When 
^he  ship  sails  I  will  eat." 

"  Take  a  drap  o'  the  dew,  Elpsy,  dear  !"  contin 
ued  the  old  man,  the  grief,  which  at  his  age  is  al 
ways  superficial,  having,  like  a  child's,  been  divert 
ed  for  the  time  by  the  rattling  gossip  of  the  weird 
woman. 

"  Elpsy  will  fast  from  all  save  water  till  the 
masts  of  yonder  yacht  are  shut  from  my  sight  by 
^he  meeting  of  sea  and  sky  !" 

She  waved  her  hand  with  a  lofty  gesture  as  she 
sp.oke,  as  if  she  sought  to  impress  the  fisherman 


.,  THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  221 

by  her  manner  alone,  and  strode  away  from  the 
hut  towards  the  path  that  led  up  to  the  castle. 

Grace  Fitzgerald,  after  communicating  the  re 
sult  of  her  interview  with  Mark,  had  left  Kate  to 
her  repose.  But,  with  grief  at  her  feud  with  Les 
ter,  and  her  lively  anticipations  of  beholding  him  at 
her  feet,  to  be  raised  from  that  humble  posture  to 
her  forgiving  embrace,  her  mind  was  too  active  for 
rest,  and  sleep  fled  from  her  pillow,  leaving  it  in  the 
sole  possession  of  her  ardent  thoughts.  With  the 
first  blush  of  day,  her  face  scarce  less  roseate  than 
the  morning  sky  with  the  consciousness  of  her  ob 
ject,  she  rose  and  threw  open  her  lattice,  and  turned 
her  face,  with  earnest  expectation,  towards  the  for 
est-path  which  led  northward  towards  Castle  More. 
From  time  to  time  she  would  lean  far  out  of  the 
window,  and,  with  eager  ear,  listen  as  if  to  catch 
some  distant  sound.  At  length,  with  a  look  and 
exclamation  of  disappointment,  not  undivested  of  a 
slight  shade  of  feminine  pique,  she  closed  the  lat 
tice  and  cast  herself  upon  her  pillow  again,  saying, 
in  a  tone  of  wounded  pride, 

"  I  care  not !  he  is  unworthy  of  a  thought !  I 
will  forget  him  and  try  to  sleep  !" 

She  closed  her  eyelids,  as  if,  at  the  same  time, 
she  expected  her  fevered  thoughts,  like  the  flower 
which  folds  its  leaves  together  when  the  sun  with 
draws  its  light,  would  also  shut  themselves  up  and 
leave  her  to  repose.  But  she  now  thought  more 
vividly  and  acutely  than  before.  It  at  length  oc 
curred  to  her  that  there  might  have  been  some  de 
lay  on  the  part  of  the  messenger.  Perhaps  Lester 
had  not  yet  got  her  pacquet,  or  had  just  received 
it,  and  was  now  on  his  way  to  her ! 

"  I  will  wait  a  little  longer  !"  she  said,  unclosing 
her  eyes,  and  rising  and  going  to  the  lattice. 
T2 


CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

A  long  time  she  remained  here,  with  her  eyes 
£xed  on  the  forest  path,  and  her  ears  acutely  set, 
to  catch  the  most  distant  sound  of  horses'  feet. 

*•'  He  comes  not  yet !"  she  sighed,  with  deep  dis 
appointment.  "  Yet  he  may  soon  be  here  !  Hark  ? 
is  not  that  his  horse  ?  No,  'tis  a  deer  bounding 
along  to  the  spring  !" 

At  the  moment  a  cool  vein  of  wind  from  the  sea 
Chilled  her,  and,  glancing  at  her  dress  as  she  drew 
it  together  across  her  bosom,  she  discovered,  what 
she  had  hitherto  been  inattentive  to,  that  she  was  in. 
^ier  night-robes. 

"  And  I  dare  say  I  should  have  run  to  meet  him 
as  I  am  !  What  a  foolish  child  !w  she  said,  blush- 
^ng  with  confusion  and  innocent  shame.  "  'Tis 
fortunate  he  did  not  come  before  !  I  will  dress,  and 
fcy  that  time  he  may  be  here  !" 

Hope,  hope,  hope !  Star  of  woman's  love  !  In 
thy  celestial  journeyings,  thou  dost  never  set  on  the 
limitless  empire  of  her  affections.  Her  wide  heart 
^ias  no  horizon  beneath  which  thou  canst  go  down 
&nd  disappear.  Patient,  long  suffering,  ever  hoping 
to.  the  last,  she  steers  by  thee  her'  bark  of  love 
through  storrn  and  danger,  faithfully  and  fearlessly, 
never  losing  sight  of  thee  till,  from  her  expectant 
eye,  death  steals  the  power  of  reflecting  longer  thy 
^adiance ! 

When  she  had  completed  her  toilet,  and  found 
that  there  were  still  no  indications  of  Lester's  ap 
proach,  she  became  impatient,  and,  throwing  a  hood 
and  veil  over  her  head,  she  left  her  chamber  and  has 
tened  below.  For  what  purpose  she  hardly  knew — 
impulse  alone  prompted  her  footsteps.  She  hasten 
ed  through  the  hall,  and  descended  into  ,the  castle 
yard,  and  directed  her  course  towards  the  forest. 
She  had  entered  the  .verge  of  its  gloomy  shades, 
which  the  morning  sun  Jiad.  scarcely  yet  driven  out, 


THE    WIZARD   OF   THE    SEA.  223 

and  was  penetrating  its  depths,  when  she  suddenly 
stopped. 

"Where  am  1  going?  what  am  I  doing?"  she 
exclaimed,  as  if  her  feet  had  been  involuntarily 
obeying  her  thoughts  hitherto,  and  she  for  the  first 
time  had  discerned  that  she  was  really  doing  what 
she  supposed  she  was  only  thinking  of  doing.  Such 
absent  reveries  are  peculiar  to  young  persons  in 
love ! 

"  Am  I  really  going  to  meet  him  ?  I  did  not 
know  that  I  did  love  Lester  so.  But  he  would  scorn 
me  to  find  me  here — I  will  hasten  back  as  I  came 
— though  I  scarce  have  any  consciousness  how  that 
was  !  What  a  simple  creature  I  have  made  of  my 
self.  I  am  afraid  of  my  own  ridicule.  Oh  love, 
love,  you  do  play  the  mischief  with  maiden's  hearts 
when  once  you  get  into  them  !"  she  said,  sportively, 
yet  ending  her  words  with  a  deep  sigh. 

Turning  back,  she  retraced  her  steps  slowly  to 
wards  the  castle.  As  she  approached  it,  her  eyes 
were  attracted  by  the  pavilions,  which  still  remained 
standing,  and,  bending  her  steps  towards  the  lawn, 
she  entered  that  which  had  been  the  scene  of  the 
yesterday's  festival.  No  signs  of  the  banquet  re 
mained — all,  save  the  curtains  of  the  tent,  and  one 
or  two  rustic  sofas  within  it,  were  removed.  She 
seated  herself  on  one  of  these,  and  raising  the  north 
side  of  the  tent-hangings  by  one  of  the  silken  cords 
attached  to  them,  was  enabled,  without  being  seen, 
to  command  the  avenue  to  the  forest.  With  her 
person  bent  a  little  forward,  and  holding  her  hand 
kerchief  in  her  hand,  as  if  prepared  to  wave  it  at 
an  instant's  notice,  she  sat  watching  in  the  direction 
in  which  she  expected  Lester  to  appear. 

"  I  will  meet  him  here,"  she  said  ;  "  I  would  not 
have  even  cousin  Grace,  good  as  she  is,  to  witness 
our  interview  of  reconciliation.  Oh,  why  does  he 


224  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

linger  so  !  Well,  Robert,  I  have  been  taught  a  les 
son  in  a  knowledge  of  my  own  heart  by  this ;  and, 
let  us  but  meet  in  peace  once  more,  I  will  bear  much 
ere  I  will  make  either  you  or  myself  so  miserable 
again." 

She  sighed  deeply  as  she  spoke,  and  a  glittering 
tear,  like  a  drop  of  dew  shaken  from  a  spray,  fell 
upon  her  hand. 

"Surely  he  cannot  love  me,  to  linger  so!"  she 
said,  dropping  her  aching  eyes,  which  had  long  kept 
watch  on  the  distant  path. 

"  Proud  maiden,  thou  hast  spoken  truly  !  he  loves 
thee  not !" 

Kate  turned  in  alarm  as  the  stern,  harsh  voice 
that  spoke  these  words  sounded  close  to  her  ear, 
and  beheld  the  weird  woman. 

"  Elpsy  !"  she  cried,  rising  and  speaking  between 
terror  and  surprise. 

"  The  witch  Elpsy,  lady,"  added  the  sorceress, 
sarcastically. 

"  What  would  you,  woman  ?" 

"  Thyself." 

'"  How  mean  you  ?"  exclaimed  the  maiden,  shrink 
ing  involuntarily  back. 

"Fear  me  not,  lady  !"  she  said,  slowly  and  with 
mysterious  emphasis,  as  she  gazed  on  the  face  of 
the  fair  girl,  her  eyes  gloating  with  a  diabolical 
light ;  "  I  would  not  harm  thy  body,  while  I  hold 
the  key  to  thy  soul." 

"Fearful  woman,  if  woman,  or  even  human,  thou 
art,  what  terrible  meaning  lies  hidden  beneath  your 
words?" 

"  Thou  lovest  Robert  of  Lester  ?" 

"Elpsy,  I  will  not  be  questioned.  Leave  me," 
said  Kate,  her  brow  glowing  between  maidenly 
shame  and  anger. 

But  Elpsy,  without  heeding  her  command  or 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  225 

seeming  to  observe  her  emotion,  said,  with  the  sar 
donic  quiet  that  malice  can  put  on  when  it  would 
wound, 

"Thou  didst  despatch  a  messenger  to  Castle 
More  the  last  night,  lady  ?" 

"  How  knowest  thou  this  ?"  she  demanded,  eva 
sively,  startled  at  her  knowledge  of  what  she  be 
lieved  known  only  to  the  parties  immediately  in 
terested. 

"  Is  there  aught,  daughter  of  the  house  of  Bel- 
lamont,  that  happens  among  mortals,"  she  said,  in 
the  elevated  tone  of  mystery  and  supernatural 
power  she  was  wont  to  assume  at  such  times, 
"that  Elpsy  the  sorceress  is  ignorant  of?" 

"  I  know  thou  art  a  dread  and  fearful  woman," 
said  Kate,  with  a  thrill  of  aversion,  "  and  have 
power  to  do  evil,  which,  rather  than  good,  I  have 
heard  it  is  thy  delight  to  do." 

"  Ha,  ha  !  thou  hast  well  spoken,"  she  responded, 
with  a  chuckling  laugh,  that  caused  the  maiden, 
with  all  her  firmness,  to  shudder  and  start  back  to 
the  extremity  of  the  pavilion. 

"  You  fear  me.  Well,  it  is  what  I  would  have. 
Ho  !  'Tis  pleasant  to  be  feared  by  the  lovely  and  the 
pure — by  the  strong  and  the  mighty ;  to  be  sought 
out  by  the  noble,  and  have  the  homage  of  the  low  f 
Oh,  it's  a  brave  thing,  this  holding  sway  over  the 
minds  of  mortals.  Kings  may  govern  their  bodies 
— we  hold  the  empire  of  their  souls  !  Ha,  ha  !  So 
you  fear  me,  trembler  ?" 

"An  angel  would  tremble  before  thee,  guilty 
one !" 

"  Ha,  ha  !  I  know;  it.  Thou  hast  spoken  it.  It 
is  the  reward  held  but  to  us  that  we  shall  one  day 
master  the  good  spirits." 

"  And  how  ?  Alone  by  the  power  of  darkness 
and  of  sin !  You  conquer  through  fear,  not  by 


226  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

strength.  Therefore  it  is  that  good  spirits  dare  not 
enter  the  abodes  of  the  prince  of  evil.  Woman, 
thou  art  fearful ;  thy  spells  sinful ;  thy  soul  lost  for 
ever  !"  she  cried,  with  virtuous  horror  united  to  the 
natural  enthusiasm  of  her  character. 

"  Soul !"  repeated  the  sorceress,  with  a  writhing 
lip  of  derision ;  "  soul .'" 

"  Hast  thou  no  soul,  woman,  in  the  name  of  God  !" 
exclaimed  the  maiden,  appalled  by  the  emphasis 
she  laid  on  the  word  as  she  repeated  it  a  second 
time. 

The  sorceress  gazed  on  her  a  moment  fixedly  ere 
she  replied,  and  then  advancing  a  pace  towards  her, 
said  hoarsely, 

"  Yes !" 

"  Woman,"  'continued  Kate,  with  solemn  earnest 
ness,  turning  pale  at  the  manner  in  which  she  pro 
nounced  this  monosyllable,  "  I  know  thou  art  wick 
ed  and  full  of  evil ;  but  thou  canst  not  have  bartered 
thy  eternal  life  ?  have  made  compact  with  Sathan- 
as,  at  the  hazard  of  thy  salvation  ?" 

Elpsy  was  moved  with  surprise  by  the  energy 
with  which  she  was  addressed,  and,  banishing  her 
derisive  smile,  answered  in  a  more  natural  tone, 

"  By  compact  no,  lady  !  none  save  but  with  my 
own  nature ;  even  as  all  who  are  mortal  do  barter 
away  their  souls  when  they  obey  the  devil  within. 
I  have  served  him  in  the  shape  of  evil  passions  till 
his  I  am,  soul  and  body  !" 

"  Say  not  so,  Elpsy,"  said  Kate,  touched  with 
pity  by  the  sullen  despair  and  abandonment  of  her 
manner,  although  in  it  not  a  shade  of  remorse  or 
penitence  was  apparent  even  to  her  charitable  gaze  ; 
"if  you  have  sinned,  there  is  forgiveness  to  be  had 
of  Heaven  !  It  is  not  too  late  to  secure  your  soul's 
future  happiness.  I  know  there  is  much  that  is 
kind  and  humane  in  you  when  you  are  not  gored 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE   SEA.  227 

by  insults,  or  under  the  influence  of  angry  emotions. 
Abandon  your  course  of  life ;  seek  forgiveness  of 
Him  who  died  for  the  chiefest  of  sinners.  I  pity 
you,  Elpsy." 

The  sorceress  hung  her  head  upon  her  breast  in 
silence  :  her  bosom  heaved  with  inward  struggles  ; 
her  harsh  features  became  convulsed,  and  the  maid 
en  thought  she  saw  a  tear  fall  from  her  eyes  to  the 
ground.  Encouraged  by  these  signs  of  good,  she 
added,  approaching  her  in  a  kindly  manner, 

"  Cast  off  this  assumed  character,  if,  as  I  sin 
cerely  trust,  it  is  not  irrevocably  made  thine  own 
by  thy  soul's  price.  I  will  furnish  for  thee  a  neat 
cottage  not  far  from  Cormac,  the  forester's,  and 
thou  shall  have  the  comforts  about  thee  thy  old 
age  craves.  Do  not  despair  of  forgiveness,  Elpsy. 
God  is  merciful,  and  will  meet  thee  in  kindness 
more  than  half  the  way  if — " 

"  Angel !  fiend  !  mock  me  not !"  shrieked  the 
woman,  suddenly  lifting  her  face  furrowed  with 
tears,  gnashing  her  glittering  teeth,  her  eyes  flash 
ing,  her  clinched  hands  shaking  with  nervous  ex 
citement,  and  her  whole  bearing  that  of  a  pythoness 
enraged  and  fear-stricken.  "  There  is  no  God — no 
heaven  for  me  !  Yes,  I  am  bought,  body  and  soul ! 
Talk  not  to  me  of  your  Christ !  For  a  moment 
I  was  carried  back  to  childhood  as  you  spoke," 
she  continued,  with  a  sudden  change  of  manner; 
"  for  I  have  been  once  innocent  as  thyself.  But  'tis 
past !"  she  cried,  fiercely.  "  Your  words  can  move 
me  no  more  !  They  have  pressed  out  the  last  drop 
of  moisture  that  remained  in  my  heart !  I  am 
adamant  now — hard — hard — hard  as  iron  !  Ha,  ha, 
ha  !  Elpsy  a  Christian  !  Accursed  be  the  name  !" 

Kate  Bellamont,  at  this  sudden  and  terrific  out 
break  from  one  whom  she  believed  had  been  soft 
ened  by  her  words,  retreated  from  the  vehemence 


228  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR> 

of  her  language  and  the  savage  wildness  of  her 
manner,  with  the  look  and  attitude  of  one  who 
suddenly  beholds  the  lion  which  he  has  tamed 
start  suddenly  from  his  playful  embrace,  and  as 
sume  all  at  once  the  savage  ferocity  of  his  nature. 
She  was  astonished  beyond  expression  by  this  un 
expected  ebullition  of  feeling,  and  her  mind  was  ap 
palled  both  by  her  terrible  language  and  the  new 
ground  she  had  assumed. 

"  Elpsy,  stand  from  the  door  and  let  me  pass  !" 
she  said,  with  firmness,  yet  trembling  through  every 
fibre  of  her  body,  as  Elpsy,  after  speaking,  contin 
ued  to  gaze  on  her  in  gloomy  silence,  and  with  a 
lowering  and  menacing  aspect. 

"  Nay,"  said  the  sorceress,  placing  herself  full  in 
the  way,  and  speaking  with  more  mildness  even 
than  was  usual  to  her,  "  1  have  news  that  concerns 
thee." 

"  Me  F 

"  None  else." 

«  Of  what  ?" 

"  The  young  Lord  of  Lester." 

"  What  of  him  ?  Thy  looks — thy  language— 
that  fearful  smile  !" 

"  Dost  love  him  F 

"It  matters  not  to  theet  Speak  what  thou  hast 
to  say,  and  quickly,"  she  cried,  with  an  indefinable 
foreboding  of  evil. 

"  Thou  dost,  maiden.  It  is  written  in  every  lin 
eament  ;  speaks  in  every  action — yea,  Robert  of 
Lester  is  thy  second  self.  Ha,  ha,  ha!  Did  I 
not  say  I  held  the  key  to  thy  soul— ay,  and  I  can 
unlock  it,  too !" 

Having,  in  the  first  heat  of  her  vengeance  at  find* 
ing  herself  defeated  by  the  course  taken  by  Les 
ter,  resolved  to  divulge  to  Kate  Bellamont  the  se 
cret  of  his  birth  that  she  might  triumph  in  her  hu- 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  229 

mility  and  wretchedness,  Elpsy's  fertile  mind  soon 
taught  her  how  best  to  effect  her  malicious,  and, 
save  its  wickedness,  aimless  purpose.  She  now, 
therefore,  in  a  tone  of  assumed  carelessness,  added, 

"  But  thou  lovest  him  because  he  is  noble  like 
thyself !  Were  he  lowly  in  name  and  humble  in 
birth,  thou  wouldst  scorn  him,"  she  added,  with  the 
manner  of  one  who  is  trying  the  moral  pulse  of 
her  victim :  "  this  is  ever  the  way  with  the  high 
born." 

"  Were  he  lower  born  than  the  hind  who  herds 
my  father's  kine,  he  would  still  be  Lester,  and  no 
ble  to  me  !"  she  said,  with  a  spirit  that  became  her 
lofty  beauty  and  devoted  love. 

"  This  will  never  do,"  muttered  Elpsy,  thought 
fully,  intent  on  her  cruel  design,  and  forgetful  of, 
and  insensible  to,  the  gratitude  due  to  the  maiden 
for  the  kindly  interest  she  had  so  recently  ex 
pressed  in  her  welfare ;  in  repayment  of  which, 
with  all  the  maliciousness  of  a  demon,  she  was 
now  taxing  her  ingenuity  to  dash  from  her  lips  the 
cup  of  happiness  which  young  love  had  offered  to 
them. 

"  Were  he  a  cowherd,  he  would  have  a  cow 
herd's  common  soul,  maiden !" 

"  Being  common  he  then  could  not  be  Lester. 
But  being  Lester,  though  a  swineherd,  that  inhe 
rent  nobleness,  that  is  the  birthright  of  his  nature, 
would  shine  out  through  his  mean  garb  and  call 
ing,  and  make  him  still,  to  my  eyes,  the  Lester  I 
love." 

"  Were  he  a  slave — a  serf — ay,  chained  to  a  gal 
ley,  wouldst  thou  love  him  still  ?" 

"  If  misfortune,  and  not  crime,  brought  him  to 
this  degradation — then  should  I  not  love  him  less, 
but  love  him  more  !" 

"If 'twere  crime?" 

VOL.  I.— U 


230  CA.PTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  Couple  it  not  with  his  name,  woman,"  she  said, 
with  flashing  eyes.  "  But  why  this  dark  and  subtle 
questioning  ?  Speak,  I  command  thee  !" 

"  Thou  hast  no  power  to  command  me — I  no 
will  to  obey.  I  will  probe  her  yet  deeper !"  she 
muttered.  "  If,  maiden,  there  were  a  stain  upon 
his  birth—" 

"  Well — "  she  quickly  interrupted,  with  painful 
eagerness  visible  in  every  lineament  of  her  beau 
tiful  countenance  :  for  her  feelings  were  highly 
wrought  up,  and,  excited  to  expectation  of  some 
thing  evil  by  the  manner  of  her  interrogator,  she 
was  all  nerves  and  on  the  rack  of  torturing  sus 
pense.  "  Well — speak,  prithee,  woman  !  Why 
do  you  pause  ?" 

"  If  'twere  proven  he  were  a — a — " 

"  Say—" 

"  A — nay,  'twill  wound  thy  ears  !" 

"  Speak — I  fear  not — for  I  know  thou  canst  lay 
no  crime  to  his  charge  !" 

"  A  bastard!"  she  said,  laying  a  deliberate  stress 
upon  each  syllable. 

"  Evil  woman  !  away  !     Leave  me  !" 

"  It  may  be  proved  that  he  is  not  only  this, 
but—" 

"  Away !  Oh  that  I  should  listen  to  thy  foul 
and  slanderous  speech." 

"  Low-born  /" 

"  In  the  name  of  Heaven,  woman,  cease  !  and 
give  me  way  out,  or  I  will  alarm  the  castle,  and 
have  thee  punished  for  this  insolence  !" 

As  the  indignant  girl  spoke  she  prepared  to  pass 
her,  when  the  woman  laid  her  hand  firmly  on  her 
wrist  and  detained  her,  while  she  said,  in  a  serious 
and  imperious  manner, 

"  Maiden,  hear  me  !  I  am  not  mocking  thee  ! 
What  if  I  can  prove  him  to  thee  to  be  a  lowborn 


THE    WIZARD    OF    THE    SEA.  231 

bastard — the  son  of  a  peasant-girl,  and  palmed  on 
Lady  Lester  as  her  own  ?" 

"  Thou  canst  do  no  such  thing  with  all  thy  wick 
ed  arts  to  aid  thee,"  scornfully  replied  the  maiden. 

"  What  if  I  could  do  it !  Wouldst  love  him, 
then  V 

"  Yes." 

"  The  bastard  ?" 

"Yes,  I  tell  thee." 

"  The  son  of  a  lowborn  peasant  ?" 

"  He  would  still  be  Lester  to  me,  so  long  as 
honour  and  truth  were  the  habitants  of  his  bosom." 

"  Wouldst  thou  love  him  then  ?" 

"  Better  and  better  for  each  misfortune  he  brought 
not  on  himself." 

"  Or  serf — or  galley-slave — or  peasant — or  bas 
tard,  he  would  still  be  Lester  in  the  eyes  of  thy 
love  ?" 

"  Yes  !     Stand  aside,  and  let  me  pass  forth." 

"  One  word  more,  fair  virgin.  I  must  try,"  con 
tinued  she  to  herself,  "my  last  card  now.  Her 
love  outwits  my  invention.  'Tis  a  shield  that  turns 
aside  all  my  shafts.  I  think  I  now  know  her  weak 
ness,  and  so  will  put  it  to  trial.  Suppose,"  she 
asked,  in  an  indifferent  tone,  "this  Robert  of  Lester 
should  take  offence  at  thee — " 

"  Well — "  she  said,  with  interest. 

"  And  should  ride  from  thee  in  anger — " 

"  Proceed — prithee — " 

"  And,  being  too  proud  to  atone,  lets  his  pride 
grow  till  it  beget  hatred  and  scorn  of  thee — " 

"Well—" 

"  And  so,  from  wounded  love  and  rage,  he  for 
swears  his  noble  name,  and  leagues  himself  with 
pirates ;  and,  out  of  revenge  to  thee,  goes  forth  to 
slay,  and  deluge  the  earth  with  blood  and  rapine  !" 

"  Have  you  done  ?"  she  asked,  in  a  tone  of  dis- 


232  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

dain  for  what  she  deemed  the  idle  words  of  the 
speaker. 

"  I  have,"  she  answered,  with  a  peculiar  smile, 
that  troubled  and  perplexed  her.  "  But  I  would 
ask  thee — wouldst  love  him  then  ?" 

"  I  will  answer  thee — if  such  things  could  be, 
which  ne'er  can  be — No.  In  this  case,  guilt  would 
place  for  ever  an  impassable  gulf  between  us. 
But,  as  thou  hast  so  much  interest  in  him,  let  me 
pass  that  I  may  meet  him,  for  I  hear  his  horse's 
feet  in  the  forest,"  she  said,  with  the  contempt  of 
incredulity,  yet  trembling — so  well  the  supposed 
case  advanced  by  Elpsy  tallied  with  the  circum 
stances  under  which  Lester  left  her — lest  there 
might  be  some  dreadful  truth  at  the  bottom. 

"  His  horse's  feet  thou  wilt  never  hear  more. 
Himself  thou  wilt  never  see  more,  save  to  thy 
sorrow." 

"  Explain,  woman,"  she  almost  shrieked,  grasp 
ing  her  by  the  shoulders,  and  speaking  with  wild 
vehemence. 

"  Robert  of  Lester  has  become  even  as  I  have 
spoken.  Maddened  by  thy  coldness — his  pride 
stung — his  self-love  wounded — his  feelings  lacer 
ated,  he  has  fled  his  home,  and  leagued  himself 
with  bucaniers." 

"  In  the  name  of  the  blessed  Heaven  above,  do 
you  speak  but  a  tithe  of  the  truth,  woman  ?"  she 
demanded,  with  fearful  emotion. 

"  He  galloped  to  the  seaside,  and  a  Danish  buc- 
anier  being  by  chance  in  shore,  he  threw  himself  on 
board,  and  put  to  sea  with  her." 

"  One  word,  only  one  word  more !  You  saw 
this  ?" 

"  I  did,  and  came  hither  to  tell  thee." 

"  Would  to  God  I  knew  if  thou  didst  tell  the 
truth  or  no,"  she  cried,  almost  sinking  upon  the 
ground. 


THE    WIZARD   OF    THE    SEA.  233 

"  Behold  this  token  which  he  gave  me,  bidding 
me  return  it  to  the  giver,  who,  he  said — mark  the 
words,  maiden  ! — was  henceforth  only  worthy  the 
scorn  and  contempt  of  the  noble  heart  she  had 
broken,"  spoke  the  false  witch,  taking,  as  if  struck 
by  a  sudden  thought,  the  locket  and  message  from 
her  bosom  and  placing  it  in  her  hands. 

"  It  is  too  true.  Merciful  Heaven,  sustain  me  ! 
Nay  !  Elpsy,  touch  me  not.  I  shall  not  fall.  No, 
I  will  not  fall !  If — if  he  can  scorn  me — I — nay — 
do  not  support  me — my  pride  will — will — oh — 
Lester,  Lester — you  have  killed  me !" 

With  a  deep  moan,  as  if  her  heart  were  bursting, 
she  fell  into  the  arms  of  the  sorceress,  who,  not 
wholly  unmoved  by  the  wretchedness  she  had 
caused,  placed  her  on  one  of  the  settees,  and,  with 
a  look  of  triumph,  gazed  on  her  pale  cheek,  and 
watched  the  irregular  and  long-drawn  heaving  of  her 
bosom.  Her  success  had  been  complete,  and  she 
experienced  a  joy  kindred  to  that  of  a  fiend's  when 
he  beholds  the  fall  of  a  good  man.  She  had  made 
the  happy  miserable,  and  was  content !  She  had 
wounded  the  pride  of  the  noble,  and  was  satisfied. 
She  had  been  the  bearer  of  guilt  to  innocence,  and 
her  task  was  accomplished  ! 

After  surveying  for  a  few  moments  the  lovely 
victim  of  her  malice  and  of  her  hatred  of  the  high 
born,  which  seemed  to  be  placed  deeper  than  any 
other  feeling  in  her  bosom,  she  drew  from  her  bo 
som  a  small  vial,  and,  removing  the  stopper,  stooped 
over  her  and  moistened  her  lips  and  nostrils.  The 
volatile  essence  of  the  evaporating  fluid  was  in 
stantly  inhaled,  and  produced  a  reviving  effect. 
The  colour  returned  to  her  cheek,  and,  opening  her 
eyes,  she  fixed  on  the  sorceress  a  wild  gaze. 

"  It  is  not  all  a  dream,  then  !"  she  cried,  putting- 
back  her  hair  from  her  forehead  and  staring  at 
U2 


CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

her ;  "  she  is  there  !  Lester  !  is  he — is  he — oh — 
I  cannot  speak  what  I  would — I  remember — ah  ! 
I  remember  all.  She  told  me  so  !  Woman  !"  she 
all  at  once  shrieked,  "  is  thy  tale  false  or  true  ? 
Say  it  is  not  true,"  she  added,  rising  and  holding 
her  by  the  cloak,  "  and  I  will  fall  down  and  kiss 
thy  feet." 

A  triumphant  light  gleamed  in  the  ruthless  eyes 
of  the  sorceress.  "  Thou  art  humbled  by  grief," 
she  said,  with  torturing  coolness.  "  It  is  a  pleas 
ant  thing  to  see  the  proud  and  high  come  down. 
Oh,  if  I  had  been  noble  too,  as  well  as  fair,  in  my 
youth,  I  had  been  a  bride  instead  of — but  I  will 
not  wound  thine  ears,  maiden,  with  a  word  thou 
canst  never  know  the  meaning  of.  It  is  only  for 
the  lowborn  virgin  to  be  taught  it  by  some  high 
born  youth.  What  I  have  told  thee  is  true.  Rob 
ert  of  Lester  has  leagued  himself  with  pirates. 
One  day  I  may  tell  thee  more  of  him." 

"  Hist !"  she  whispered,  hoarsely.  "  I  will  hear 
no  more  of  him.  He  is  nothing  now  to  Catharine 
of  Bellamont.  Hark,  there  is  the  sound  of  horses' 
feet !  He  comes !  False  one,  he  is  here  !"  she 
cried,  darting  forward  to  the  door  of  the  pavilion. 

Elpsy  smiled  grimly  and  followed  her. 

The  sound  of  horsemen  approaching  was  now 
distinctly  heard,  but  it  was  the  noise  of  many  horses 
advancing  at  speed.  In  a  few  seconds  they  be 
held  emerge  from  the  forest,  not  the  form  of  Les 
ter,  but  that  of  the  Earl  of  Bellamont,  attended  by 
three  or  four  mounted  servants. 

"  Has  Elpsy  spoken  the  truth,  maiden  ?"  asked 
the  sorceress,  her  eyes  gleaming  with  the  unpleas- 
ing  smile  habitual  to  her,  when  she  observed  Kate 
to  turn  her  face  away  in  disappointment. 

"  Torture  me  not,  evil  woman ;  thy  words, 
whether  false  or  true,  have  almost  broken  my 
heart." 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  235 

At  this  instant  the  earl  caught  sight  of  his  daugh 
ter,  and,  turning  aside  from  the  avenue,  galloped 
across  the  lawn  towards  the  pavilion.  He  was  a 
gentleman  of  noble  presence,  with  a  dark,  intel 
ligent  face,  and  dignified  features.  The  resem 
blance  between  himself  and  daughter  was  instantly 
apparent.  He  rode  with  grace,  and  displayed  ad 
mirable  horsemanship  in  the  management  of  his 
fiery  steed. 

"A  kiss,  rny  sweet  child,"  he  said,  as  he  threw 
himself  from  his  horse  beside  her.  "  You  are 
abroad  early  !  What,  in  tears  ?  I  have  not  been 
absent  three  days,  and  yet  you  welcome  me,  Kate, 
with  as  much  emotion  as  if  I  had  but  returned  from 
India.  Nay,  then,  weep  on  my  breast,  silly  one, 
if  you  will.  What,  Elpsy  here  too  !"  he  exclaimed, 
now  for  the  first  time  seeing  the  witch  standing 
within  the  door  of  the  pavilion — "  I  see  it  all.  She 
has  been  alarming  you  with  some  evil  foretellings  ! 
Woman,  have  I  not  forbidden  thee  to  harbour  or 
appear  on  the  domains  of  Castle  Cor  ?  Moral 
blight  and  misfare  follow  thy  footsteps  as  surely  as 
does  pestilence  the  path  of  the  baleful  dogstar. 
Depart  P 

"  I  have  done  mine  errand,  proud  earl,  and  there 
fore  will  go — but  not  at  thy  bidding  I  depart,"  she 
added,  gathering  her  scarlet  cloak  about  her  hideous 
person. 

"  I  care  not  if  it  be  at  the  devil's — as  it  is  most 
like  to  be— so  I  see  thee  no  more  !  Cease,  my 
dove,  that  moan.  Her  charms  are  sand — her 
words  false — her  prophecies  the  wildest  dreams ! 
Heed  them  not,  if,  as  I  suspect,  she  has  filled  thy 
tender  ears  with  them." 

"  Thou  lovest  thy  daughter,  earl  ?"  she  said, 
interrogatively,  as  she  prepared  to  depart. 

"  Too  well  to  see  her  made  miserable,  vile  sor 
ceress  !" 


236  CAPTAIN  KYD;  OR, 

"  See,  then,  thou  do  not  make  her  so." 

"  How  mean  you  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  Beware  of  a  black  plume  /"  she  added,  mys 
teriously. 

"  Explain  your  meaning,  woman !"  he  said, 
struck  by  her  manner  and  the  menacing  tones  in 
which  she  gave  him  this  prophetic  warning. 

The  sorceress  made  no  reply  ;  but,  turning  her 
face  towards  the  path  that  led  to  the  seashore,  she 
rapidly  traversed  the  lawn,  and,  waving  her  hand 
warningly,  disappeared  down  the  path  leading  to 
the  beach. 

The  cause  to  which  her  father  attributed  her 
sudden  and  unwonted  grief  greatly  relieved  Kate; 
and  by  allowing  him,  through  her  silence,  to  retain 
the  impression  he  had  formed,  she  was  saved  the 
embarrassment  of  making  him  a  confidant  of  her 
wounded  affections  by  unfolding  to  him  the  true 
cause — a  task,  in  her  present  state  of  mind,  impos 
sible  for  her  to  perform,  and  one  which,  at  any 
time,  would  have  been  a  sad  trial  to  her  maidenly 
sensitiveness.  In  a  few  moments  she  became 
more  composed  :  the  tide  of  her  affections,  which 
had  been  forced  back  upon  the  fountain-head,  hav 
ing  found  a  channel  in  paternal  love  through  which 
to  flow,  if  not  in  the  same  direction  as  before,  yet 
nearly  in  as  deep  and  strong  a  current. 

She  accompanied  him  to  the  castle,  and  for  the 
remainder  of  the  morning  was  so  occupied  in  for 
warding  the  preparations  for  his  departure  and  that 
of  her  cousin,  that  she  had  little  time  to  devote  to 
her  own  peculiar  sorrows,  leaving  them  for  the 
lonely  hours  that  would  find  her,  after  they  were 
gone,  in  the  solitary  chamber,  mourning  over  her 
crushed  and  blighted  love.  Yet  a  faint  ray  of  the 
light  of  hope  shone  through  the  darkness  of  her 
heart,  and  the  faintly-cherished  belief  that  the  tale 


THE    WIZARD    OF   THE    SEA.  237 

of  the  sorceress  might  be  false  kept  her  from  aban 
doning  herself  to  that  hopelessness  of  grief,  shame 
and  utter  wretchedness  into  which  she  would  have 
sunk  had  the  truth  been  made  manifest  to  her,  di 
vested  of  every  shadow  of  doubt. 


END   OP   VOL.    I. 


'-'•it 


L  006  670  134  3 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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